At least €8,000 needed to bring injured girl home

The family of a Maltese woman who was injured in a road accident in Cambodia needs to raise at least €8,000 for medical expenses and airline tickets to bring her back.

Lisa Gatt, a call centre worker from Marsascala, was riding pillion on a motorcycle last Tuesday when the accident happened. She was taken to a nearby clinic where she underwent an operation for her broken thigh bone.

However, Ms Gatt travelled without insurance and ended up with a hefty medical bill which kept on growing. The operation to pin her thigh bone cost €2,000, a sum her family had to borrow and wire over to Cambodia.

The victim's sister, Lia Gatt, appealed for help to raise funds to bring back her sister.

The Gatt family estimated that at least €8,000 were needed to pay for morphine, the room and medicines. Ms Gatt will need to be transported on a stretcher because she cannot move her leg, which would increase the price of the airline ticket.

In addition, the €8,000 sum mentioned would not cover the cost of the helicopter or ambulance that would transport her to the airport. Her sister pointed out that the family still did not have the exact figure in hand.

So far, about €2,000 were collected following an appeal on Facebook.

During her thigh operation, Ms Gatt said her sister felt "every pull and tug on her leg and could feel them drilling and banging on her bone". She tried to call out to tell them that she was still awake but was unable to make a sound, her sister said.

However, her sister was given a self-medicated drip yesterday, Ms Gatt said. Even though she was still very upset and crying, the drip should help her with the pain, she added.

The victim's father is expected to discuss the matter with representatives of the Community Chest Fund and the Foreign Affairs Ministry today.