Tragedy in Turkey as British Consulate refuses repatriation for cancer survivor

A British mother is fighting for her life after coming down with a mystery illness in a Turkish hospital where treatment is set to cost her desperate family £10,000 per day.

THE British Consulate said they will not repatriate breast cancer-survivor, Carole Fleming, 67, while she is still alive, claims her daughter Stephanie Uyar, 36.

Now, Mrs Uyar is trying to raise £25,000 for an air ambulance to bring the mother-of-two back to Britain and into the care of the NHS.

The family are paying £1,000 per day for treatment of Carole’s rare blood disorder – but daily costs are set to fly up to £10,000 as the doctor’s change their treatment plan.

Mrs Uyar said she feels like she’s ‘trapped in a horror movie.’ Her mother’s condition in intensive care in Mugla is so horrific she ‘cries blood’ due to her body’s inability to clot.

Ms Fleming’s brother Ian, 55, claims medics in Turkey mistakenly believed his sister’s illness was brought about by a medication related to her breast cancer – which she was recovered from last year.

The link to her previous condition meant her medical insurance would not cover the costs.

Doctors backtracked when they took Ms Fleming off the medication and her condition got worse. But the insurance company will not budge and are dragging their heels.

She was rushed to hospital after collapsing, where doctors tested her blood. They found her platelet count was just 6,000 per microlitre of blood – 146,000 below the safe level. This means she’s unable to form clots and needs regular transfusions just to remain alive.

Mrs Uyar said: “In the last three weeks, there have only been two nights when I’ve not stayed by her side in a hospital chair.

“It’s like I’m trapped in a horror movie. The things I’ve seen and witnessed in the last three weeks, I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy.

“To see the woman who’s always been my rock, who’s always been there to help me, to see her so vulnerable in a strange place. I’ll have nightmares about this ward for the rest of my life.

“It’s not right that my mum could be taken away because of a form in an office somewhere.”

Mr Fleming spoke of how Turkish doctors mistakenly revoked her insurance cover by telling the insurance firm the low platelet count was down to Carole’s breast cancer medication.

“The doctors admitted they were wrong and the insurance company is looking into her case, but these things take time.

“After all, she’s done to help people, it’s awful to think that she could die because of something like an insurance error.

“We called the Foreign Office and they said there was nothing they can do – but then told us they’d ‘repatriate’ her if she died.”

To donate to Mrs Uyar’s GoFundMe appeal, click here.