An urgent appeal has been launched by the sister of an Artane man to get him home, after he suffered a severe mental breakdown on holiday.
Matthew Dunne (23) was on holiday with a friend last week when the breakdown occurred, and was subsequently put into the Turkish healthcare system.
His sister, Nichola, said that since being admitted, her brother has deteriorated rapidly and has received no water, food or fluids into his system within the last week. Nichola also detailed that the mental health care system within Turkey is virtually non-existent.
She flew to Turkey on Sunday to see what help she could provide, but she said Matthew is in a critical state and needs to be brought to Beaumont Hospital for urgent care.
“My heart is broken, I never ever thought I’d have to ask for so much help but I really need you all to help me save my brother,” she wrote on Facebook. “I flew over on Sunday to come over and help him but there’s nothing I can do and the doctors here won’t help.
“I need to get him to [Beaumont] now. I’ve literally no time, he has no time. The hosp [sic] here have said he is critical and needs to go home because Turkey don’t assist with mental health!
“This is a new thing for Matthew, I’m so scared. Please believe me when I say this is so serious… he is deteriorating hour by hour.”
Nichola has now launched a GoFundMe, in an attempt to get Matthew back to Dublin urgently. She says that the family have been in touch with an air ambulance service, who have said they will help to bring Matthew home at a cost of €35,000.
“With no food water or fluids in his system for almost a week now, Matthew’s condition, both physical and mental, has deteriorated drastically. This is now a matter of life of death to get him back to safety in Ireland.”
“Time really is of the essence with this and we need to have him home today,” Nichola said.
The fundraiser has gained great traction online, with several people pledging their support and sharing Matthew’s story to try and get him back to Ireland for the care he needs.
To donate to Nichola and Matthew’s GoFundMe, please visit the GoFundMe website here.
