Niaomi Baker, 33, from Kirkby, was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma after falling ill while boarding a plane back to the UK from Tunisia on February 11. Nearly two months later, she remains bedbound. Her family is fundraising £35,000 to bring her home because she had no travel insurance. Her cousin Laylla Baker said Niaomi was woken up three weeks ago but is not waking up properly, only opening her eyes from time to time. The specific medical condition that caused her illness in Tunisia and her current prognosis and expected recovery timeline have not been disclosed.
Jade Bird, 33, caught meningitis on holiday in Tenerife and was due to fly home last Wednesday but fell seriously ill at the airport. She spent eight days in an induced coma and another 10 days on intravenous antibiotics. She has since returned to Britain and is on the mend, reunited with her six-year-old daughter Skyla. Her family set up a GoFundMe page that raised over £13,000 to cover costs. Despite having appropriate insurance, her family have been quoted £46,000 to get her back home. Jade Bird's sister-in-law Victoria said Jade was complaining of earache during the holiday before becoming unwell.
They woke her up three weeks ago and she isn't waking up properly. She's just opening her eyes from time-to-time.
In a separate case, Anna Gallo, 24, from the Gold Coast, was struck down with a life-threatening bacterial infection (meningococcal B) that escalated into meningitis and septic shock while in Japan. She was placed on a ventilator and put in a medically induced coma for three days. Her boyfriend Liam McDonald said doctors told them if they had waited even two more hours to get her to hospital, she wouldn't have made it.
Anna Gallo is now recovering at Gold Coast University Hospital. She was vaccinated against meningococcal disease but not the B strain, which is extremely rare in Japan.
I still have to have more procedures, I have to have a lumbar puncture. But I'm in a much better state than I was, considering what I've been through.
These incidents highlight common challenges faced by travelers with medical emergencies abroad, including insurance gaps and high repatriation costs. Families often resort to fundraising platforms like GoFundMe to cover expenses, as seen in both Niaomi Baker's and Jade Bird's cases.
Family statements and broader warnings emphasize the importance of travel health preparedness. Laylla Baker's description of Niaomi's condition underscores the emotional toll, while Jade Bird's case serves as a cautionary tale. Anna Gallo's case, involving a rare strain despite vaccination, points to the unpredictable nature of illnesses overseas.
I'm glad I never got on the flight. If I did, I probably would have died.
She flew out to Tenerife with her boyfriend for a holiday. While they were there, she was complaining of earache, then she started being sick.
I woke up in the middle of the night with my whole body aggressively shaking.
It was the worst few days of my life.