A supposedly joyous visit to South Korea turned into a nightmare for 79-year-old Timothy Whelan and his wife Winnie after he was hit by a series of health crises, leaving him stranded in a South Korean hospital for more than two weeks.
Mr Whelan, a Permanent Resident (PR) in Singapore, is currently in intensive care after undergoing multiple brain surgeries.
According to a fundraiser set up in Give.Asia, Mrs Winnie Whelan is “desperate” to bring her husband home, but is unable to do so after their travel insurance company denied their claim for medical coverage.
Source: Give.Asia
According to a fundraiser, the American national was rushed to the hospital on the evening of Saturday (5 Oct) after experiencing “alarming” symptoms. This includes bilateral hearing loss, extreme weakness, and dizziness.
The Konkuk University Hospital medical team were quick to respond to Mr Whelan’s needs, performing an emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in an artery in his brain.
Source: Konkuk University Medical Center
Despite the successful procedure, Mr Whelan’s condition deteriorated.
On Monday (7 Oct), he developed acute hydrocephalus — a build-up of fluid in his brain — along with worsening cerebral oedema or swelling.
As a result, his consciousness declined rapidly. Emergency brain surgeries were also needed “to relieve the mounting pressure inside his skull”.
Mr Whelan still remains in critical care at the time of writing, as constant monitoring is required to assess his brain function.
According to the Give.Asia fundraiser page, Mr Whelan and his wife had purchased an unnamed travel insurance to ensure their safety while on the trip.
However, when the health crisis struck, the insurance company skirted footing the medical bill by insisting that his condition stemmed from his existing hypertension.
The medical professionals at the Seoul-based hospital had assured the company that the 79-year-old’s condition was not a result of the aforementioned illness.
Nevertheless, the insurance company denied the claim — leaving a mountain of medical bills for his 69-year-old wife to settle.
Unable to pay them, his wife is devastated to watch Whelan suffer and is “unsure if she will ever be able to bring him back to the safety of their home”.
As such, a fundraiser has been set up to alleviate the medical costs. Currently, more than S$37,000 of the S$250,000 goal has been achieved.
To donate to the cause, check out the fundraiser here.
Also read: S’pore Woman Faces Flight Delays & Lost Luggage In Europe, Urges Travellers To Buy Insurance
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Featured image adapted from Give.Asia.
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