ESTHER’S LETTER IN FULL..
Dear Mr Hunt, I’m writing as a mother who is facing losing the light of her life, her only son.
My Charles is a kind, caring, bright young man who would do anything to help anyone – but now he needs the help of others. He needs your help.
He is adored by our family and should be looking forward to the next chapter of his life. Instead, he is lying thousands of miles from home, fighting for survival.
As you know, Charles suffered a massive stroke while travelling in Cambodia and was found unconscious on the floor of his apartment.
We have no idea how long he was like that. this has devastated his body and he has two blood clots on his brain.
Mr Hunt, you are a dad, yourself a father of three beautiful children, so you know what I am going through.
Can you imagine the feeling of sheer helplessness as your son or daughter fights for their life, while all you can do is hold their hand and pray for a miracle?
As a parent, it is the loneliest place in the world. It is where I am every day, a nightmare I can’t wake up from without your assistance.
Charles is on life support, but he is getting weaker by the day. He is unable to speak or breathe unaided and can only communicate using his eyelids.
Neurologically, the hospital can’t provide Charles with the life-saving treatment he needs. If I don’t get my boy home, I know he simply won’t make it.
Charles was always fit and healthy and I never thought I would find myself faced with outliving my own flesh and blood.
If I could give up my life for him, I would, but there is only one person who can perhaps save him. that person is you.
the hospital staff have done their best, but there are limits to what they can offer. If he’s not returned to the Uk, my son will die.
It will cost £100,000 to fly him home and we’ve already raised over £43,000, but it’s still not enough. We have exhausted all of our fundraising efforts and you are my last hope, the final person I can turn to.
I’m begging you, not as a politician, but as a parent. You have the power to intervene and bring Charles back to his family, back to our amazing doctors and nurses where he can receive the life-saving treatment he desperately needs.
I have asked the Foreign Office for an emergency loan, but I’ve been refused on three occasions now. I have applied to remortgage my house, while my daughters have also taken out loans, but this huge sum of money is beyond our reach.
I’m penning this plea from my son’s bedside with a tear running down my cheek.
I’d give anything to swap places with him, but all I can do is keep hoping and praying that he will pull through.
I dedicated years of my life working as a midwife helping other families. I never thought I would need to nurse my own son thousands of miles from home, but that is the unthinkable situation I find myself in.
I thank God for the fearless son he blessed me with, someone who has taught me to keep fighting when things are at their bleakest. I won’t give up on him and I’m asking you not to give up on him either.
Please Mr Hunt, I’m begging you to help our family. You have the power to end this nightmare for our family.
We are an ordinary, hard-working family, no airs or graces, just like any other. Our government expect us to deal with a highly complicated and extremely serious medical emergency on our own. We feel abandoned.
Every scan, treatment, examination and medical expense has come from what life savings we had. But we are running out of money and time.
the one thing we aren’t running out of is hope – and that is why I am turning to you.
Please, please bring my boy home.