A MAN with multiple sclerosis has told of his terror that he could die alone in after becoming “trapped” in a hospice.
Philip Curtis, 54, is bed-ridden and desperately wants to return to his home in the West Midlands after becoming increasingly ill in the Czech Republic.
Well-wishers have already raised £3,000 to help him travel back to Sandwell in the Black Country.
But Philip said he fears he will be stuck if he can’t raise around £20,000 for his transport.
He told the Daily Express: “The British Embassy is trying to sort my issue but it’s a slow process full of red tape.
“I do not have the funds to pay to get home [myself].
“As a result, I’m trapped here.”
Philip was raised in Sandwell, Birmingham and moved to the Czech Republic with his girlfriend in 1995.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2002.
The incurable condition is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and nerves.
His relationship broke down after he lost his job in 2012.
Following the upset, his health began to worsen.
“It has now progressed to a state where I only have limited movement in my right arm, and unfortunately I’m left-handed,” he said.
Philip has spent the past three years in a hospice, but says it doesn’t have enough funding to properly care for him.
He shares his room with three elderly men, and says his mental health is being “destroyed” after watching “many people pass away”.
Philip’s friends are fighting hard to raise the funds for his return and have set up a GoFundMe page.
But the cost of returning to the UK has increased substantially due to his condition.
‘TRAPPED’
The pal who set up the fundraiser said: “Phil worked and fell in love with this country.
“He had a good job and a dream life, then his life started to fall apart.
“He lost his job, he was diagnosed with MS… this has had a massive impact on Philip’s life.
“His MS worsened, the country isn’t equipped for his condition and he is bedridden 24/7 residing in a hospice where he regularly sees residents die.
“He has no family or friends now and his only communication to the outside world is via his laptop. This is an awful situation to live in.
“In 12 months time his passport expires and he now lies in his bed 24/7 wondering what will happen.”
Source: The Sun
