Appeal for donations as Glasgow man spends third week in South American hospital
25-year-old Dylan Brown has been in intensive care in Ecuador since falling from his bike and hitting his head last month
The family and friends of a Glasgow man in hospital in South America have made an appeal for funds after his insurance company refused to cover the costs.
25-year-old Dylan Brown has spent three weeks in intensive care after falling from his bike and hitting his head while on holiday in Ecuador.
Doctors had to drill into his skull in an emergency operation to relieve the pressure on his brain.
His childhood friend Darryl Foley set up a fundraising page when news of the accident first broke, in order to fly his family over to be by his bedside.
But due to Dylan's prolonged stay in hospital - and insurers Explorer Travel refusing to cover costs - a renewed appeal for further donations has been made.
Darryl spoke to Clyde News about his friend's current situation.
He said: "Dylan has been in intensive care now for three weeks. His condition has improved although he's not managing to eat and his speech has been affected. He's not really said much, or what he is saying is quite mumbled and hard to understand.
"He's noticed that his mum is there, which seems to have confused him quite a bit and we've been asked to give him some photos of friends and family to help jog his memory and help him realise what's actually happened to him.
"They're going to have to put a tube through his nose to help him eat. That will hopefully help him build up some strength. He's been taken off some sedatives so hopefully he becomes a bit more aware of his surroundings and what's happened. The biggest thing is getting some food into his system."
Although Dylan has made progress, he is nowhere near ready to leave - and the costs are beginning to spiral.
Darryl added: "The ICU he's in is roughly costing $800 a day. Once he's out of there the costs will go down but to keep him in intensive care it's been a lot.
"The operation was quite expensive too, it was over £5,000.
"The insurance company have told the family that they can contest their decision, they just need to write to them and a court date would probably be well into next year. It has to be on UK soil as well and Dylan would need to be present.
"So myself, his friends and his family are trying to raise more funds. We've set the target of £20,000 purely to get him home. As soon as he is able to fly, we'll be wanting that money to go to helping Dylan back home.
"We're setting up a fundraiser night for the 8th of September in Life on Sauchiehall Street. A few generous donations came from there so they're allowing us to have a night in there for him."
So far, around £13,000 has been raised for Dylan.
In a statement, Explorer Travel Insurance told Clyde News: "Mr Brown’s family have been in regular contact with both the emergency assistance service and the insurer of his policy since the incident, and are therefore fully up to date with the details of his case.
"We are unable to make any further comments."