A Teesside family have launched a desperate big to get their mum home from Turkey, where she is currently in intensive care after falling ill on holiday.

Christine Stockdale and her husband had enjoyed a two-week break in Turkey before she fell seriously ill last Wednesday (November 23), just a day before she was due to return home.

The mum and grandmother had her gallbladder removed in emergency surgery at a Turkish hospital, but was diagnosed with an infection leaving her in intensive care and unable to breathe on her own.

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Now her family have been left to foot a £20,000 healthcare bill so far and face a further bill of up to £40,000 to get 68-year-old Christine home on a special medically assisted flight.

Son Dean rushed from Middlesbrough to be by his mum’s side in Antalya last Friday when the family feared her condition was worsening, having to take time off work and pay for travel.

Dean Stockdale, 34, told The Northern Echo: “Mum is still in intensive care in a critical condition.

“She has an infection from not having had a gallbladder operation that she was due to have last March. It left her essentially as a ticking time bomb that went off while she was away.

“The infection has caused a really serious condition to her lungs so she can’t support herself breathing and she’s been on a ventilator since Friday.

The Northern Echo: Christine Stockdale (L) with daughter Claire (R) at grandaughter Chloe's graduation and Chloe's partner Callum.Christine Stockdale (L) with daughter Claire (R) at grandaughter Chloe's graduation and Chloe's partner Callum. (Image: FAMILY PHOTO)

“The Turkish doctors found some more fluid on Wednesday morning which they’ve managed to remove so they’re hoping she’s going to start improving.”

Dean and sister Claire are hopeful that this time next week Christine will be well enough to take a medically assisted flight back home, which could cost anywhere up to £40,000 depending on the level of care their mum would need during the flight.t

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Dean added: “We’ve had to pay about £20,000 for the treatment so far which we’ve done out of our own pockets.

“We really want to get mum home. It would be great to have her home for Christmas.

“We’ve got quite a big family and everyone’s really worried about her and wants her home.”

The family say that Christine had been due to have an operation at home last March, but it had been delayed three times, and that the grandma and her husband say they had received consent from doctors for her to be able to travel.

Christine’s granddaughter Chloe has now set up a Just Giving page in the hope of raising enough money to fund a flight home. The page has already raised £2,250 of the family’s £40,000 target.

Dean continued: “All the people back home who’ve donated have been really generous and we’ve raised over £2,500. If anyone or any local business can donate anything we’d really appreciate it.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the family’s Just Giving page can do so HERE.

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