Family’s cash appeal to rescue man seriously ill in Cambodia
A DESPERATE family is trying to raise £100,000 to bring a British backpacker back from Cambodia after he suffered a stroke and is on life-support.
Charles McLaughlin, 38, had been staying in the capital city, Phnom Penh, for a few months after being made redundant last year.
The “strong and healthy” Scot collapsed in the flat he was renting and was found by his landlord.
But his travel insurance had run out and his distraught mother, Esther McLaughlin, is now having to remortgage her house to pay for his medical care.
Charles, from Gourock, in Inverclyde, can only communicate by blinking his eyelids, and his family fears that he could die unless he’s repatriated.
His sister Jennifer Cross, 41, said: “Charles was discovered by his friend on Thursday on the floor of his flat and unconscious.
“His friend took him to a local hospital, CT scans were made and two large blood clots were found in his brain stem.
“He is only 38 years old, much too young.
“We can only guess how long he was on his own for and it is a miracle and testament to his health and strength that he survived.
“He was transferred yesterday to Cambodia’s largest hospital in Phnom Penh.
“My mum, an experienced nurse and his girlfriend travelled to Cambodia from England on Friday, a few hours after hearing of Charles’ suffering.
“Although unconscious, Mum’s first words to him made him cough and react. This has made us very hopeful.
“He has since been using his eyelids to communicate with my mum and his girlfriend.”
The medical care provided at the government hospital in Cambodia where Charles is being treated was “limited”.
But private hospital care could cost the family more than $2,500 per night.
Jennifer added: “We are very fortunate with my mum’s medical background as we do understand that some are not this fortunate and their care can then go unregulated and often worsen with the limited facilities.
“We are paying $400 a night for this care.
“My mum is very concerned about Charles’ well-being. Ideally, we would like to repatriate Charles to the UK.
“We understand that Charles did complete a travel insurance prior to travelling.
“However, we have since found out that Charles extended his travels by several months to take in Cambodia, but, his travel insurance was not extended.”
To donate, visit https:// www.gofundme.com/ brother-on-life-support-help