Gran dies on Turkey holiday days after getting all-clear from cancer as family faces £33k bill

Gran dies on Turkey holiday days after getting all-clear from cancer as family faces £33k bill Anne Morris, 63, died while on holiday in Turkey just days after being given the all-clear from lung cancer, leaving her family facing a £33,500 hospital bill. A grandmother collapsed and died while on holiday in Turkey just days after being given the all-clear from lung cancer. Anne Morris had been battling the disease for two years before doctors told her she was cancer-free. The very next day, the 63-year-old, from Knowsley, Merseyside, jetted off to Icmeler, Turkey, to celebrate the good news with loved ones. Yet what should have been a joyous occasion ended in tragedy when Anne suddenly went into cardiac arrest just three days into the holiday. Despite desperate attempts by her husband, Alan, and paramedics to save her, she sadly suffered a second cardiac arrest while on life support and died in hospital on October 29, Manchester Evening News reports. The family now face a huge bill after Anne's travel insurance was rendered invalid, they said, after she had failed to declare previous medical conditions, including COPD and cataracts, on the policy. Her loved ones are now desperately attempting to raise funds to cover a hospital bill of £33,500 and the costs of repatriating her body back home to Liverpool. At the time of writing, the GoFundMe has raised more than £5,800. Anne, who had been with Alan for more than 30 years, was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) approximately 12 years earlier. The condition meant she frequently experienced breathlessness and regularly depended on a nebuliser. Her son, Lee McMurrie, 42, told the Liverpool Echo the family were "elated" when they received the news she was cancer-free, adding: "I was ecstatic. She had her life back and I thought I'd got my mum back." Anne flew out to Turkey on October 16 alongside Alan to mark her best friend's birthday. Lee said his mum spent three wonderful days there before the tragedy. Alan, 67, had been sleeping in their hotel room following the celebrations when he felt Anne climbing out of bed. Moments later, he heard "an almighty shout". He said: "I felt her getting out of bed and then next thing, I heard this almighty shout. It was all she could do. "I ran as fast as I could. When I got to her, she couldn't breathe at all. I tried my best. I tried to resuscitate her and get her the nebuliser at the same time. I was helpless. "I let go for a second and screamed all over the hotel. Luckily enough, the night manager heard me and phoned for an ambulance. "I was absolutely frantic, screaming and crying." Paramedics turned up within seven minutes and Anne was rushed to hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care. Doctors subsequently informed the family she showed no brain activity. Despite being warned there was virtually no prospect of recovery, her loved ones refused to abandon hope. Lee said: "The staff in the hospital were telling us she had no chance of survival, but we didn't believe it. Mum was a warrior. She beat cancer. She was the matriarch of the family. We were convinced she was going to wake up." The family were dealt yet another crushing blow when Alan received a call from the hospital at 9.52am on October 29, urging him to get there as quickly as possible. Anne had suffered a further cardiac arrest and, despite the best efforts of medical staff, her body was unable to fight on any longer. The family now find themselves under enormous financial strain. Lee revealed they were initially informed Anne would need to be repatriated by air ambulance while still on life support, at an estimated cost of between £130,000 and £150,000, on top of the existing hospital fees. Following her passing, the repatriation costs have reduced to £2,600. The family says the hospital bill has now reached £33,500, with bosses requiring half the outstanding sum before Anne can be released. Lee added that the family had also been charged approximately £3,500 per day throughout the two weeks Anne spent in intensive care. He said: "The British Consulate say they can't help us. The insurance say they can't help us. We flew out to make sure my dad was okay, but we've spent every penny being over here." Anne's family have described her as the heart of their family and a woman whose warmth and character left a lasting impression on all who knew her. A mother of six and grandmother to 23 grandchildren, she was utterly devoted to her family and had previously worked at Derby Lane Youth Club in Old Swan, where she played an active role in the local community. Lee described his mother's personality as "infectious" and said she had a remarkable gift for making those around her feel at ease. He said: "She was an amazing lady. Everyone that met her fell in love with her and she was so involved in the community. Every person that met her wanted her phone number. "She had 23 grandchildren and she used to look after all of them. Everybody wanted to go to Nanny Annie's. I don't know what I'm going to do without her. "She was the person I'd lean on all the time, for a kiss, a cuddle, someone to talk to. She was always on the other end of the phone. "When she was told she had cancer, she never once complained or cried. She was just an outstanding lady." Alan, meanwhile, said Anne had been his "world" and his "rock". Despite living apart, he said the two spent time together each and every day. The family are now appealing for support to bring Anne back to Liverpool so she can be given the farewell she truly deserves. In their fundraising appeal, they said: "Our biggest priority now is to bring our beautiful wife, mum and nan home to Liverpool so that our family can be together and we can say our final goodbyes with the dignity she deserves. "We desperately want Anne to come home to her family rather than being left thousands of miles away from the people who love her." The family added that every donation and share of the appeal would make a real difference during what they described as the most heartbreaking time of their lives. Donations can be made to support the family here.