A woman told how a family holiday in Turkey turned into a “living nightmare” after her mum fell seriously ill with sepsis and pneumonia. June Redman from Middlesbrough was placed in an induced coma after being rushed into hospital with dangerously low blood pressure.

It came days after the 75-year-old suffered a fall in the hotel on the first day of her trip away. June had developed sepsis and later contracted pneumonia while in hospital. Her daughter Lisa Appleyard was told to prepare for the worst as doctors feared June may not survive.

Thankfully, Lisa said her mum is now awake and has started to show signs of improvement, but she remains in intensive care at the Ahu Hospital in Marmaris. The family is now desperate to bring her home for further treatment in Middlesbrough.

However, Lisa said the travel insurance will only contribute 21.28% and her family does do not have the means to cover the remaining £31,500 needed for an air ambulance. They are sharing their story in the hope others may be willing to donate to their cause while also warning people about potential travel insurance cover issues.

“We desperately need help,” said Lisa, 56. “It’s horrendous. An absolute living nightmare. We are in no position whatsoever to cover the rest of these costs. We need to warn people, don’t ever get yourself in this position – I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

June, who is divorced and lives in Park End, worked for many years in Boots and also at a dry cleaners before retirement. She travelled to Turkey in mid-July for a family getaway with Lisa and her partner Stephen, granddaughter Claire, 39, and great-grandchildren Lucia, 14, Zeki, 11, and Gabriel, six.

Lisa explained how, on the first day of their holiday, June had tripped on a step from the veranda into the room of their hotel. She banged her head and suffered two cuts to her arm.

Having been checked over and treated by the hotel doctor and nurse, Lisa said they were told she did not require hospital treatment. They enjoyed the next few days, but on the day they were due to return home June became very unwell.

They took her back to see the nurse who called an ambulance as June’s blood pressure was extremely low. At the hospital the family were horrified to learn June’s kidneys were working at just 8% and she had contracted sepsis.

A week later June developed pneumonia and was left critically ill. She underwent a tracheotomy – a procedure where a hole is made at the front of the neck and is now showing signs of improvement.

“They’ve reduced her oxygen, she’s getting there very slowly,” said Lisa. “She is not well enough to come out of intensive care but she’s fit to come home in an air ambulance. She’s getting well-looked after but I just need her home in our hospital.”

Lisa said, as her mum did not reportedly declare some aspects of her medical record, which she says are not relevant to the incident on holiday, the insurance company will not cover the full amount. These include a diagnosis for COPD which Lisa says they were all unaware of.

June also attended A&E after hurting her shoulder but did not require overnight admittance. “I didn’t know she had COPD – all I knew was every year she used to suffer with bronchitis and she was given this pink inhaler which she used and hasn’t had bronchitis since,” said Lisa.

“I don’t believe she knew either. My mum is a stickler, she always says you must have insurance if you’re going away. Her policy cost her I think £72 and they said for the stuff she missed off the doctor’s record, it would have made her policy £200. She would have paid that. But some of the stuff is ridiculous.

“Eye drops for dry eyes which she might use once a month. Creams which she uses now and again and others she doesn’t even use any more.

“She’s in a wheelchair because she has a back issue which they were told about and the painkillers. They’ve picked it to bits and said you didn’t mention this and that. We want people to understand what can happen when someone becomes seriously ill abroad and an insurance company disputes the level of cover.”

June took out a policy with Goodtogo Travel Insurance. A spokesperson for the parent company, Ancile Insurance Group, said: “Due to the complexity and ongoing nature of Mrs Redman’s case, we cannot comment on the details of the claim. We are working with Mrs Redman’s family to ensure the claim is resolved, and will continue to offer them support and assistance.”

June’s family has managed to raise £7,000 so far including just over £2,000 through a fundraising page. They now hope the kindness of strangers and others who know June can help them bring her home.

“Everybody knows my mum is the most genuine, kindest, loveliest person and it’s so unfair that it’s happened to her,” said Lisa. “She hadn’t been away for a few years and she loves going abroad. I thought she would have said Turkey is too far. But she said, ‘count me in.'”

June’s granddaughter Claire set up the GoFundMe page as they battle to get her “Nanna Noonie” home. She said: “What was meant to be a family holiday has turned into an incredibly frightening and uncertain situation for our family. If you know June, you will know how much she means to our family. She is our Noonie, and we just want to give her the best possible chance of coming home.”