A British mother of five is fighting for her life in a coma in Gran Canaria, as her family desperately works to bring her back to the United Kingdom. Emily Casey, 34, from Wirral, Merseyside, fell ill while on holiday with her husband Jamie and their five children.
Sudden Illness on Holiday
The family had arrived on the Canary Island on 10 May. Just three days later, on 13 May, Emily began struggling to breathe and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Having recently recovered from pneumonia, doctors initially suspected a blood clot on her lung. Jamie was asked to pay £3,000 upfront for a CT scan, which Emily's father John transferred. The scan revealed that pneumonia had returned and one of her lungs was full of fluid, requiring drainage.
Induced Coma and Sepsis
Jamie returned to the hotel that evening to care for their children. Throughout the night, he repeatedly called and messaged Emily but received no response. The next morning, he rushed back to the hospital and discovered she had been placed in an induced coma on life support. Distraught, he contacted family back in the UK, and Emily's mother flew out to help care for her.
When the holiday ended on 19 May, Jamie flew back to Liverpool with the children to arrange childcare. He has since returned to Gran Canaria to be by his wife's bedside. On his return, doctors informed him that Emily had developed sepsis. On 23 May, the family received devastating news that her condition had worsened. Scans showed pneumonia had taken over her lungs again, and sepsis had entered her bloodstream.
Financial Burden
The family has faced hospital bills exceeding £8,000. Because Emily had recently recovered from pneumonia, her insurance provider has refused to cover the costs. The family is now desperately appealing for assistance to bring her back home. Relative Kevin Magee reached out to the Liverpool Echo to publicize a GoFundMe page established to fund Emily's care.
