Desperate family appeal to bring home 22-year-old daughter in coma in Cyprus

A family is desperately raising funds to bring home their 22-year-old daughter who has been placed into a medically induced coma after a road traffic accident in Cyprus.

Ellie Horrocks, 22, from Westhoughton, in Bolton, was rushed to hospital after she was involved in a road traffic accident in Cyprus when her buggy overturned in the popular holiday resort of Ayia Napa on Monday, June 26th.  

Doctors put her into a medically induced coma after she suffered a serious head injury as well as fractures to her spinal cord and clavicle.

Ellie’s family have spoken of their anguish as they desperately appeal to bring home their ‘amazing’ and ‘creative’ daughter as mum Leanne says they are suffering ‘any parent’s worst nightmare’.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Ellie’s auntie Sarah said her niece had moved to Cyprus in May to work in a bar and ‘experience life’.

Sarah said: “She’s young so she likes going out with her friends, she’s got loads and loads of friends, but she’s also just a very creative person.

“She’s a really, really well-loved girl.”

Sarah said her niece had hired the buggy to go and see the sun set on another part of the resort when she was forced to swerve and avoid an oncoming car.

According to her aunt, this caused her buggy to overturn and Ellie suffered injuries to her head and spine.

Her mum Leanne has flown out to Cyprus to be by Ellie’s side in Nicosia Hospital. The family are now hoping to be able to raise enough money to bring her home to recover at a UK hospital and be close to her family.

Sarah continued: “It’s awful. None of us are sleeping.

“Her condition is just so unknown at the moment. Everyday, her mum gets a call off the doctor at 11am, and they can only see Ellie for one hour.”

To bring Ellie home to the UK will cost around £60,000, and isn’t covered by her insurance.

The family have launched a Go Fund Me page to raise funds and have so far raised a huge £67,437 of a £70,000 target.

Donations will go towards any ongoing treatments for Ellie in Cyprus and for the cost of an air ambulance to fly her back to the UK.

In a statement written on the fundraising page, mum Leanne said: “Hi everyone, at the beginning of May my daughter Ellie set off to Cyprus to fulfil her dreams of going abroad on an adventure. 

“She was looking forward to meeting new people and creating lifelong memories.

“Unfortunately on June 26th, Ellie was involved in a major road traffic accident in Cyprus and is currently in a medically induced coma in the ICU. 

“She has suffered a serious head injury, fractured spinal cord and clavicle. We urgently want to get her home to Manchester, to be treated in a specialist neurology hospital where she can heal and hopefully recover close to her family and friends.

“The cost of repatriation from Nicosia Hospital in Cyprus to the UK is significant and not covered by Ellie’s insurance and this has meant we have had to reach out for help.

“We would really appreciate any help and financial support that you are able to give Ellie. Your donation will go directly towards the cost of on-going medical treatment in Cyprus and an air ambulance back to the UK.

“Any amount you can contribute will help Ellie to get the care and treatment she needs to reach a full recovery.

“As you can imagine this is any parent’s worst nightmare and I desperately need to get her home. Thank you so much, Leanne xx.”

Many kind messages have also been left on the fundraising page by members of the public who have donated money to help bring Ellie home.