3 days ago
Urgent mission to get Cork mother who suffered a cardiac arrest in Spain home for specialist rehabilitation
Charleville native Jack Callaghan made the emotional appeal for his mother during an interview on The Opinion Line with PJ Coogan on Cork's 96FM yesterday.
Mr Callaghan spoke about his mother Carol who is currently fighting to recover in a Spanish hospital after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while on holiday.
Jack also spoke about the family's urgent mission to get Carol home to Ireland for specialist rehabilitation — a journey that requires an air ambulance costing between €40,000 and €50,000, a sum their insurance will not cover.
In a poignant interview, Mr Callaghan said his 58-year-old mother Carol was out shopping with her friends in Alicante, Spain and suffered a cardiac arrest. 'She was left untreated until the paramedics got there. They did CPR and brought her back with the defibrillator, then rushed her to ICU. She's been there since. It's a slow process, but getting better — and can get a lot better if we can get her back to Ireland as well.'
Jack said his mother woke up after a 'week' in a coma and has been slowly improving ever since. 'When we first got to Spain — this happened on a Thursday and we arrived Friday morning — doctors told us she might not make it. If she did, she could be in a vegetative state or have severe brain damage. They told us to get family over as soon as possible. As days went on, the scans improved.
'The outlook was still serious, but we didn't care how long the road would be — as long as there was a road. She woke up after a week in a coma and has been slowly improving since. My stepfather, my sister and I take turns so she's never alone. It's tough out there, but she'd do the same for us. She has the biggest heart, we just need her home,' he added.
The extent of Carol's injuries means she will require long-term rehabilitation and specialist care.
Unfortunately, her travel insurance has refused to cover the cost of getting her home to Ireland for the treatment she urgently needs.
'The hospital in Spain has done all it can,' said Jack who outlined that his mother cannot fly home without intensive medical care during the journey. 'She still has a tracheostomy and needs intensive care during the journey. She needs an intensive rehab centre in Ireland. We've been quoted €40,000 to €50,000 for an air ambulance. These companies need payment up front, and we just don't have that lying around.'
The family has launched a GoFundMe page to help bring Carol home after the devastating accident.
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The local community has rallied around in huge support of Carol and her family.
At the time of writing, 863 donations have been made and over €48,000 has been raised so far.
Jack paid tribute to everyone who has contributed. 'The local community's been incredible. Charleville GAA, neighbours, friends, but we still have a bit to go before we can book the flight.'
Jack also used the opportunity to urge everyone to learn basic CPR. 'Every minute counts. It could mean the difference between life and death. We were lucky Mam was in a busy place. If it had happened somewhere quiet, she might not be here.'
