Teacher flown home on mercy flight '˜is feeling much better'

Teacher Caroline Hope was stuck in a Turkish hospital after contracting E.coli. Picture: PA/PA Wire

Caroline Hope, 37, who had been living in Turkey for four years and was teaching at an international school, is also set to be admitted to the internationally-renowned Beatson cancer clinic in Glasgow.

She was flown to Glasgow airport in an air ambulance on Saturday evening after a crowdfunding appeal raised more than £32,000 to bring her home.

Ms Hope is currently in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and a hospital statement about her condition may be released today, a spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said.

She said she wanted the thank everyone who had helped her get back to Scotland and added that knowing she was not alone and that her family were close was a “huge boost”.

The teacher was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in January and underwent chemotherapy at Medical Park Izmir.

After a brief visit home to Clydebank when her health improved, Ms Hope decided to return home permanently once her treatment was completed.

But complications arose after surgery last month, resulting in her contracting the potentially life-threatening E.coli infection.

Ms Hope’s brother Scott, who flew from his home in South Africa to be with his sister, and was with her while she waited for the medical ambulance which would bring her home, said: “Caroline was relieved and so happy this morning, she kept asking when the plane was coming and we had to keep saying we’re just waiting for it to land. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the crowdfunding campaign, within two-and-a-half days we had completely smashed our target of what we had hoped to get. The way everyone came together around the world to send love and support and best wishes was unbelievable.”

Mr Hope, who has remained in Turkey to sort out his sister’s affairs, said their 80-year-old mother, Catherine, would be reunited with her daughter in Glasgow.

He added that any money left over from the crowdfunding appeal would be donated to the Beatson. Bella Shek, 37, Ms Hope’s friend who set up the crowdfunding page and visited her in the Turkish hospital at the end of June, said: “It’s horrible to see a friend suffer.”