HSE steps in to fly home critically ill Dublin woman

THE family of a critically- ill woman fighting for her life in a Vietnamese hospital were told last night that the HSE had agreed to fly her home by air ambulance.

Dubliner Karen Hamill, 27, contracted encephalitis last month when she stopped off in Vietnam on her way home from a backpacking holiday in New Zealand.

The condition led to her suffering a stroke and, earlier this month, her parents Tommy and Marie flew out to their daughter’s bedside, where she has round-the-clock care. She was kept in an isolation unit as fears for her life grew by the day.

The family set up a fundraising campaign to cover the €2,000-a-day hospital fees not covered by her travel insurance and were desperately trying to raise the €100,000 fee themselves to fly her home by air ambulance. But last night, the family praised the HSE for stepping in and agreeing to repatriate her. Recruitment consultant Karen, from Tallaght, will now be flown back to Ireland by air ambulance in a government jet in time for Christmas.

Her mother Marie, who is keeping a bedside vigil in Vietnam, said: “I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity, love and support for our beautiful Karen. We will never be able to thank you enough.” Her brother David said the news was the best Christmas present the family could have wished for. “The HSE have got in touch with Karen’s aunt who’s organising the fundraising and they’re going to fly Karen home. My mother’s over in the hospital now in Vietnam with a guy from the embassy to find out if she can fly today, or if not today, tomorrow or the next day,” he said.

The family said all money raised to date from the Karen Hamill appeal will cover remaining medical costs in Vietnam and will be put towards Karen’s rehabilitation. Any money left after medical expenses are taken care of will be donated to charity.

Tom Finn, national director of the HSE, said: “I got a message about Karen yesterday afternoon, so I made contact with the air corps. She has been accepted at one of our hospitals and when she’s ready to come home, she’ll come home, before Christmas hopefully.”