Help expat get back home for lifesaving treatment!

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PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
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Help bring my sick sister home for care

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A doting brother is appealing for help with a mercy mission to bring his sick sister home from the Dominican Republic for lifesaving treatment.

Joy McKechnie (54) has suffered three major heart attacks since November last year ? the last one doctors abroad feared would be fatal.

But hopes of her returning home to the UK for treatment have been made difficult because, following the break-up of her marriage, she has been left with no money or medical insurance.

Brother Wayne Ridley (49), of Moulton Chapel, said: ?After her last attack a doctor at the medical centre that treated her called her children and said if they wanted to say goodbye to their mother they should come now.

?They flew over to see her but have now come back to see if we can raise enough money to bring her home because when the medical centre discovered she had no medical insurance, they refused to treat her anymore.

?We?re going out of our minds with worry ? we just want her here so we can look after her.?

Her son, Michael Jackson, and daughter, Teresa Pepper, have set up a Facebook page, Save Joy?s Heart ? Her Journey so supporters can see how their appeal is going.

So far they have managed to raise ?1,000, but need ?4,000 to cover the cost of Teresa fetching her mother home and care on the flight home.

Teresa said: ?I had hoped we would have enough by today, so that I could fly out tomorrow and bring Mum home on Sunday, however we are still short.?

Joy has lived in the Dominican Republic for ten years and ran a bar with her husband before the break-up. She is currently staying with a friend.

Wayne said: ?Joy is my big sister and we have always been close ? there were nine kids in our family so we were drawn together because we are nearly the same age. Our parents have passed away and one of our brothers ? this has come too quickly.

?All through Joy?s life she?s been such a big-hearted person doing things for charity and putting others first that now we want to do this for her.?

A Save Joy?s Heart fundraiser is being held at Donington Community Centre on Saturday, March 15, at which Wayne will be DJ with NightFlight Disco. Tickets are available by emailing peppster@hotmail.co.uk

Donations can also be made by sending funds via PayPal to peppster@hotmail.co.uk

‘Help bring my sick sister home for care’ - Spalding Guardian
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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according to her FB page, she is lives in Puerto Plata.. and I guess is known to some here on DR1..

am not clear what sort of operation she would need or what? Maybe some of her neighbors/friends can enlighten us?
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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Medical evacuation ?

PJT is sorry for her circumstance. Here is a question. Is her return to the UK dependent on commercial passenger airfare only or does her transport require a medical evacuation arrangement ?


Regards,

PJT
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Doesn't the UK embassy have ways to assist citizens in distress to get back home, even if they have to collect from the family later?
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Is her return to the UK dependent on commercial passenger airfare only or does her transport require a medical evacuation arrangement ?
From the article So far they have managed to raise ?1,000, but need ?4,000 to cover the cost of Teresa fetching her mother home and care on the flight home.

This suggests that it's not a medevac situation but she is too ill to take a flight on her own.
 

ctrob

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Nov 9, 2006
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I'm pretty sure this is the gal that used to run the Thorn & Thistle in Sosua with her husband. Anybody know for sure?

It was in that angled pathway after passing Mel's Tour office near the beach. You could a proper English Breakfast all day long. Bloody good it was.
 

localhistorybuff

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Aug 6, 2013
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Something about this doesn't add up: in the US, airlines will fly people to the funerals of immediate loved ones for free, so none of the airlines servicing Europe/Britain to/from DR would pony up and do this goodwill gesture/potential tax write-off??
 
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mido

Bronze
May 18, 2002
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Doesn't the UK embassy have ways to assist citizens in distress to get back home, even if they have to collect from the family later?
I am asking myself the same question and I am sure the UK embassy could assist if properly informed.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I am asking myself the same question and I am sure the UK embassy could assist if properly informed.

Since PICHARDO seems to be assisting the family, it would be good for him to check out the UK embassy and the possibility of a compassionate reduction in air fare.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
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If you rad carefully, you'll note she had "3" attacks and was confined to a bed in a healthcare facility in the DR. Her insurance ran out on her and she was send home to die with her family. The caretakers in the healthcare facility told them that maybe back home she could get further care that could enable her to live longer or even get her back on a recovery road.

It's probable that she can't walk much at all and spends her energy fairly quickly if she does.

The airfare must include extra care for her to the U.K. aboard the plane.

The best answers to any questions before helping would be to contact the family in the U.K. at the email posted for donations.

I was reading up some news of the U.K. when I came across the above article and plead for assistance.
 

keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Many airlines do not have the bereavement fare/emergency fare as they did in the past. She may be able to fly commercial but she may need O2, and monitoring during the flight which can be costly. She may be stretcher bound which means she would need a special row of seats which I know British Airways can provide. Hopefully it will work out.
 

HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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Rubbish, 4grand is easily raised between a circle of friends. There are people i meet when i go to bavaro A/I for a weekend away who do not even work in the UK and get a loan from the government dole program to pay for the vacation of the entire family. 400grand emergency medical evacuation i might of not believed less, but 4Grand, thats not much money here. If she as married she would not have been left penniless either.
 

miozio

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May 23, 2009
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Rubbish, 4grand is easily raised between a circle of friends. There are people i meet when i go to bavaro A/I for a weekend away who do not even work in the UK and get a loan from the government dole program to pay for the vacation of the entire family. 400grand emergency medical evacuation i might of not believed less, but 4Grand, thats not much money here. If she as married she would not have been left penniless either.
I also thought the same. What is a 4k pounds over there in the UK when the life of a beloved family member is at stake! "So far they have managed to raise ?1,000" :rolleyes:
 

pularvik

Active member
Jan 2, 2011
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If this woman has been in the DR for 10 years, can she just pop back to her home country and get heart surgery? If it were my mother mother and IF I was assured her health care would be covered in her home country I would be getting a second mortgage on my house,- not asking for donations! Also,- I would be more comfortable with the situation if it was not her family that was receiving the money directly,-------
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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So, they expected to be able to fly her home this Sunday but are having a fundraiser event the 15th of march??

Is her son Michael Jackson going to sing?
 

drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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Rubbish, 4grand is easily raised between a circle of friends. There are people i meet when i go to bavaro A/I for a weekend away who do not even work in the UK and get a loan from the government dole program to pay for the vacation of the entire family. 400grand emergency medical evacuation i might of not believed less, but 4Grand, thats not much money here. If she as married she would not have been left penniless either.

Wait, wait. The UK government gives loans for vacation? Really?
I hope the lady gets the medical care she needs in her home country.

drescape24
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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Something about this doesn't add up: in the US, airlines will fly people to the funerals of immediate loved ones for free, so none of the airlines servicing Europe/Britain to/from DR would pony up and do this goodwill gesture/potential tax write-off??

For free?? No way Jose. When my father-in-law died in Santo Domingo, American Airlines DID get us on the next flight out, but it was not free, I've never heard of that happening.
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
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Something about this doesn't add up: in the US, airlines will fly people to the funerals of immediate loved ones for free, so none of the airlines servicing Europe/Britain to/from DR would pony up and do this goodwill gesture/potential tax write-off??

They will do the fly for free thing for domestic flights not international. They will give a discount, but not free. And anymore most don't have the fly for free, only discounted
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
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Wait, wait. The UK government gives loans for vacation? Really?
I hope the lady gets the medical care she needs in her home country.

drescape24

Not quite, i believe the goverment gives unemployed loans to do with as they so wish, or maybe they li?. Point being if i have met families of professional parasites affording a punta cana vacation then i suspect under such circumstances raising such a small amount is not that difficult, unless they are known as processional con men and no one will give them a cent.
Been a few of these appeals recently, just another scammer trying his luck on this website. I could be wrong, but if this couple ran a bar in pop then people will know it, can we get the name to confirm this at least.
 
May 5, 2007
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For free?? No way Jose. When my father-in-law died in Santo Domingo, American Airlines DID get us on the next flight out, but it was not free, I've never heard of that happening.

Most US Airlines offer "Bereavement fares" at a discount, BUT they are at a discount of regular "walk up" fare and you can often find a cheaper flight yourself online

I'm trying to understand the 4,000 pounds, haven't priced flights in sometime but would think you could fly DR to England for $1000 or less in coach, and if it was a MEDVAC the cost would be in tens of thousands

something missing
 
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