British mother-of-four, 56, fights for her life in coma at Spanish hospital after falling ill on holiday as family beg for help to pay £30,000 medical bill

• Tracey Ellis, from Newcastle upon Tyne, was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis
• Her family are now trying to pay the treatment bill that her insurance didn't cover

A British mother-of-four is fighting for her life in a Spanish hospital after falling ill on holiday as her family pleads for help to pay the £30,000 medical bill.

Tracey Ellis, 56, from Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, was on holiday alone in Tenerife when she began experiencing excruciating stomach pains.

After being taken to an emergency clinic she was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and was transferred to a private hospital.

Her condition worsened and she was placed in an induced coma on life-support after the infection on her pancreas spread to multiple organs and she began to bleed internally.

Her family are now pleading for help to cover the large outstanding treatment bill after her travel insurance refused to cover it because she was treated at a private hospital.

Ms Ellis started to feel unwell on June 22 and called an ambulance after the pain in her stomach left her struggling on the floor on her hands and knees. 

At the emergency clinic, Ms Ellis was transferred to a private hospital, then rushed into the intensive care unit.

Her family back in the UK claim the hospital did not inform them and they did not find out Tracey was in hospital until she contacted her children - Connor, Curtis, Grant, and Amy - on June 24 to tell them she was feeling slightly better.

But she revealed how frightened she was and said she was being charged £5,000 by the hospital due to her not being able to sort out her travel insurance claim yet.

On June 25 Grant told her that he and Curtis would be flying out and Tracey replied to their text. This was the last time they heard from Tracey until their arrival at the hospital, they were shocked to find their mum in an induced coma on life-support.

They contacted Connor and Amy, telling them to fly out immediately as the next 48 hours were critical.

When arriving at the hospital in the north of Tenerife, there was a language barrier, so it was hard for the family to interpret what was going on. It was then the family was told she had internal bleeding and that the infection on her pancreas had spread to multiple organs.

After this devastating news, Tracey's family say they were then asked to pay a further £10,000 deposit, or they'd have to transfer her to another hospital.

Connor, 29, Tracey's eldest son, said: 'We were petrified to move mam in the critical state she was in. All we wanted to do was to be with her and not focus on the cost involved.'

Tracey then had to be transferred to a state hospital due to the ongoing demands for money and began receiving further treatment there. The family is now trying to arrange travel home if or when her condition improves.

The outstanding medical bills have now risen to £30,000. The family have set up a GoFundMe page.

They wrote on the page: 'Our ultimate goal is to get her fit and well and able to return to the UK. 

'It’s still a horrible waiting game at the moment but we will also need to fund her transport home if/when our mam’s condition improves and pay the outstanding bill for her medical costs.'

Amy, 20, added: 'We have all been overwhelmed by everyone's kindness. All we want to do is focus on my mam's recovery. She's the strongest, bravest and kind-hearted mam. If anyone can please help us we'll be eternally grateful.'