21 February 2024 , 12:31
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A heartbroken son said he felt 'held to ransom' over his dad's death after he was hit with a £60k bill.
Thomas Kennedy, 82, fell ill while on a winter holiday visiting his son Paul's family in the Turks and Caicos Islands, near the Bahamas. He started having stomach pains in January and was quickly taken to hospital. Thomas was then moved to the Dominican Republic for more treatment.
After spending nearly £20,000 for the first few days of his care, Paul and his family started a fundraiser to try and save his dad's life - saying they had no help from the Turks and Caicos or UK governments. But they couldn't raise enough money to keep his treatment going, and Thomas sadly died on February 10.
Paul and his wife, Sarah, have already paid more than 50,000 dollars - about £43,000 - for his treatment, and need to find another £17,000 to pay for hospital fees, travel and accommodation. Thomas lived on Fordfield Road in Lea Hall, Birmingham, and the former warehouse worker travelled to the Caribbean to be with his family over the winter months.
Paul, who had who moved from Birmingham to Turks and Caicos in 2001, told BirminghamLive: "As the UK gets very cold over the winter months, my wife and I brought my dad to Turks and Caicos for a few months so he could enjoy himself and keep warm. He'd been enjoying himself going in the pool, sunbathing, chatting with everyone and spending small portions of his pension."
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
Medical staff airlifting Thomas to the Dominican Republic (Handout)"One day he started vomiting and having stomach pains - I thought it may have been something he ate. He was immediately transported to the hospital and rushed into the emergency room. The hospital continued evaluating, eventually determining he had an inflamed gallbladder with substantial bile backed up behind the stones. I was told he was critically ill and had a ten per cent chance of survival."
Doctors said Thomas would need to be moved to the Dominican Republic for more treatment because he was so poorly. After paying £20,000 for an air ambulance, Paul said the hospital where his dad was being treated told the family they needed to pay nearly £9,000 up-front for his treatment so far - or they wouldn't let him go on the air ambulance.
Paul said he felt like he was being 'held to ransom' over his dad's worsening condition. After being moved to a hospital in the Dominican Republic for more treatment, Thomas showed small signs of getting better. But his condition got worse because the family couldn't afford certain treatments, and he sadly passed away earlier this month.
Thomas Kennedy, 82, with his son Paul during happier times in Turks and Caicos (Family Handout)The grieving family asked the public for help to find the £17,000 still needed to pay their medical debts. "When the money dried up, the hospital wouldn't perform any more surgery on him," Paul said.
"I don't know if it would have made a difference. Everything is up in the air at the moment, we planned to get him repatriated to the UK but we're looking at another £15,000 to do that which we can't afford at the minute."
"The plan is now to get him cremated. It's been a stressful and emotional time for us as a family. Any money we could get to put towards the hospital bills would be very beneficial and appreciated. It would make a huge difference to us."