Donations allow family to bring Shropshire teacher home

Lucy Ward had been working in Sicily when she had a stroke on 6 October

A woman said it feels "phenomenal" to be able to bring her sister back to the UK after she suffered a stroke abroad.

Lucy Ward, 35, was working as an English language teacher in Siracusa, Sicily, when she had the stroke which affected her brain stem.

Her sister Patricia began raising money to return her to Shropshire so the family could aid in her recovery.

People's generosity, Ms Ward said, meant they had raised the £23,000 needed.

Lucy Ward fell ill on 6 October and her family was initially warned she may not survive, Patricia Ward said.

She spent several days in a coma and was reliant on a ventilator.

After regaining her consciousness she has some movement in her face but cannot speak, Patricia said, and although she can feel her limbs, is unable to move from the neck down.

Lucy's partner Luca has been "amazing" in helping the family communicate with doctors, Patricia Ward said

Doctors, she said, were not sure why her sister had had a stroke but had found damage to two arteries in her neck.

"It is extremely challenging," Patricia said.

"Obviously the treatment she has been receiving has been Italian so we can't actually communicate directly with the doctors, so we're dependent on her boyfriend Luca, who actually communicates that for us.

"We have been completely devastated because we are so far from her."

Their ability to visit her has also been restricted due to the effects of Covid-19, Patricia added.

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She said it was "such a relief" to be able to bring her home after raising the money through the Help us bring Lucy home appeal.

They are working with a company that arranges repatriation of citizens who have fallen ill abroad for an air ambulance flight which could bring her home as early as Tuesday.