Family appeal after Glasgow woman taken ill on holiday in Portugal
A 37-year-old woman from Glasgow has been left stranded in a Portuguese hospital after suffering a stroke while on a weekend break, her family have said. The patient, who married earlier this year, was taken into intensive care in Faro and remains under medical supervision as she continues to recover.
According to relatives, the woman woke during the night unable to speak and with weakness on the right side of her body. She was admitted to hospital on Sunday, 20 September, and spent around five days in intensive care before being moved to a general ward.
"She's only 37 - you don't expect things like this to happen at that age."
The patient's sister-in-law, Apryll, said her condition had improved in recent days. She told local media the woman had taken some steps and was actively attempting to speak, but remained unable to talk and could not access English-language speech therapy while still in Portugal.
Family facing high repatriation costs
Doctors have advised the patient will remain in the hospital for at least a further two weeks before transfer to the UK can be arranged on a medically assisted flight, the family said. The cost of such a flight has been estimated by relatives at up to £25,000, prompting a fundraising appeal.
Apryll has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help meet the expected costs of bringing the woman home to Glasgow. Her husband, also in his mid-30s, has been staying with her in Portugal and is providing the family with regular updates on her progress.
Timeline and current status
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 20 September | Woke during night with speech loss and right-side paralysis; admitted to Faro hospital |
| 20–25 September | Spent approximately five days in intensive care |
| 25 September | Moved to a general ward; taking steps and attempting to speak |
| Ongoing | Expected to remain in hospital at least two more weeks before medically assisted transfer |
Practical and emotional challenges for the family
The family described the incident as a "complete shock". Apryll said her brother and his wife were newly married, having married in March, and that the couple face the anxiety of an extended stay abroad while the patient recovers. She added that language barriers are complicating access to rehabilitation services, particularly speech therapy in English.
- Immediate medical need: Continued hospital treatment in Faro and monitoring of recovery.
- Repatriation: Medically assisted flight anticipated once clinically appropriate; family estimate up to £25,000.
- Support required: Fundraising to cover transport costs and any additional out-of-pocket expenses.
The family says progress is being made but remains cautious. They emphasised the importance of steady recovery and the need for specialist input before any transfer can be considered safe. In the meantime, the husband has been keeping relatives updated and is described as "trying to stay positive".
Cases such as this highlight the complexity for travellers who become seriously ill abroad: immediate treatment is provided by host-country services, but arranging an escorted return to the UK often requires clinical assessment, coordination and significant expense. The family’s public appeal aims to bridge that gap while they wait for clinical clearance for transfer.
Locally based readers who wish to assist have been directed to the GoFundMe page set up by Apryll. As this is an active and evolving situation, further updates are expected from the family as the patient's condition changes and plans for repatriation are clarified.
