CUBAN doctors have told a holidaymaker who fell seriously ill on the Caribbean island he will have to make significant changes to his lifestyle to help in his recovery.

Keith Rochester was put on a life support system after his pancreas burst while on holiday last month.

His wife, Sharon, of Houghton-le-Spring, who is still out there supporting him, has told family and friends he will need to change his lifestyle following a blood transfusion.

That means a clean-living existence for the 41-year-old when he returns home.

Mrs Rochester said: “So many people have messaged me from far and wide with amazing strength and passion for Keith and his true party spirit, offering drinks and clinking alcohol filled glasses on our return, following this nightmare.

“However, when Keith and I return home, we will both returning as different people.

“With the illness Keith has the advice from all the professional medics is that he won’t ever be able to drink or smoke again and was we all know, Keith has always historically been a party animal.

“This new life that we have been given will be totally different, but one that I will be embracing with every being that I have and can only support Keith in making the right choices.”

Mr Rochester is the brother of Christopher Rochester, of Chester-le-Street, who, died after falling from a balcony on the Greek Island of Rhodes in 2000 aged 24.

When he became ill, doctors initially thought Keith Rochester had appendicitis, but when they operated, they found his pancreas had burst, leaking fluid around his internal organs.

Over the weekend he was put on a ventilator and had a red blood and plasma transfusion after suffering gastric bleeding, which doctors think could from an ulcer caused by bodily stress.

He has also been treated by hypoglycaemia, and doctors have drained an abscess from his wound.

Mrs Rochester said: “I have no doubt that everyone will try to support Keith in his new life. It is going to be such a dramatic change. Please try to understand and appreciate just how strange, difficult and dramatic this change is going to be for both of us.”

A crowd funding website to support Mr Rochester has so far raised

almost £2,750. To help log on to: gofundme.com/helprochesters