'I was stranded in the jungle and needed surgery': Cork woman's ordeal on trip of a lifetime

Rachel Gotto, 56, tells Arlene Harris how a holiday in paradise turned into a hellish nightmare when she faced a life-threatening health situation

Rachel Gotto heading off on the river hike at the start of her dream holiday in South America. "We wanted to get away from connectivity – and when you go into the jungle, you’re cut off from everyone"

Rachel Gotto has a thirst for adventure. So when she headed off on the trip of a lifetime to Suriname in March, she was excited about what lay ahead.

However, despite being fully prepared for her foray into the jungle, things didn’t go exactly as planned. In fact, far from it.