‘We’re just praying for a miracle’
The family of a 33-year-old woman is issuing a renewed plea for financial assistance as they struggle to repatriate her from a Tunisian hospital, where she has been stranded for over two months following a medical emergency.
Niaomi Baker, from Kirkby, was preparing to board a flight home on February 11 when she suffered what is believed to be an epileptic seizure. She was rushed to a local hospital and placed in an induced coma.
While she has since been brought out of the coma, her cousin and next-of-kin, Laylla Baker, told the ECHO that Niaomi remains bedbound and has not regained full consciousness.
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Niaomi lives with several complex medical conditions, including epilepsy, autism, and functional neurological disorder (FND). Her family remains distressed as they were unaware she had travelled to Tunisia until they were contacted four days after her hospitalization.
Critically, Niaomi did not have travel insurance, leaving her family solely responsible for the costs of her care and repatriation.
The medical team in Tunisia has recommended she be transferred to the UK for further treatment, but the family currently lacks the necessary funds for an air ambulance.
The family has established a GoFundMe campaign to cover the transport costs, estimated at £35,000. To date, supporters have raised approximately £7,500, leaving a shortfall of £27,500.
“The GoFundMe has come to a standstill,” Laylla Baker said in a statement this week. “We’ve not raised nearly enough money and we just don’t know what to do. We are just praying for a miracle.”
The 34-year-old also revealed that her own ability to manage the crisis is severely limited, as she is currently battling brain cancer.
“I feel useless, I have my own health problems everything we try doesn’t seem to work,” Laylla said. “There must be someone out there who can help us. The hospital stopped getting in touch with us so her friend went over to check on her.”
She added: “I managed to FaceTime her and when she heard my voice she opened her eyes. She still can’t talk but it was like she was trying to communicate with me. It’s horrible, we just want her back home.”
With Niaomi’s mother deceased and her father residing in a nursing home, the family is facing significant logistical and emotional challenges in navigating the international medical system.
“We completely understand times are hard with the cost of living, but we really do need more money,” Laylla added. “Our only goal is to bring Niaomi back home to the UK as quickly as possible.”
The family continues to coordinate local fundraising efforts, such as raffles, in a desperate attempt to bridge the funding gap and secure a safe transfer for their relative.


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