Daughter's desperate bid to pay dad's medical bill (From This is Hampshire)

Daughter's desperate bid to pay dad's medical bill

2:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Gazette By Emily Roberts

A BASINGSTOKE woman is trying to raise £50,000 to pay off hospital debts racked up by her dad after he had a massive heart attack in South Africa.

Hayley Brunger’s parents Janette and Simon moved from Basingstoke to Palm Beach near Durban eight years ago to semi-retire.

But the couple both 57, failed to realise that if either of them required hospital treatment, they would be liable to pay the costs.

Mr Brunger had a heart attack on November 19 last year, but the cost of the heart bypass operation and other hospital treatment which saved his life is likely to exceed £50,000, which the couple cannot afford.

Their 29-year-old daughter, from George Street, Basingstoke, is now hoping for help from family, friends and complete strangers to help raise the money so her parents can pay off their debts.

She and her brother Simon, 31, have so far managed to generate more than £3,000 through their online appeal.

Hayley said: “There was no warning of the heart attack at all. It was very sudden. He’s never had any problems and there have not been any problems in the family. I don’t think anyone really thinks about it until it happens.”

Hayley was due to visit her parents at Christmas, but flew out early to support them, and her father had to go back into hospital for a complication, adding to the mounting medical costs.

The customer services executive said her dad is now recovering, but the stress of the situation is not helping, and her parents are struggling to sell their house.

She added: “The idea was to go out there and come back when they got older – it wasn’t a definitive move. They are considering moving back but they need to sell the house. I don’t know if that will cover costs.

“My dad blames himself for all of it. They have borrowed money from family members to pay the initial costs but the bills are stacking up and they either sell the house or they are in big trouble. I think legal action will be taken.”

Hayley said the family have been “amazed” by the donations, some from complete strangers.

She added: “I suppose it was a risk, but not something that was thought about in-depth. It was a move they wanted to make and you don’t expect this to happen.

“In the UK, we take for granted the provision of free healthcare provided by the NHS but, in much of the world, this is not the case, and healthcare costs can lead to financial ruin.”

To find out more about Hayley’s appeal, visit helpsimon.com.