A British grandmother visiting Altinkum has undergone emergency surgery after falling down a flight of stairs.

Sandra Morphew, who has been visiting the resort for 26 years, was taken initially to hospital in Didim following the serious accident on August 30, and later transferred to Aydın’s Adnan Menderes University Hospital.

Having suffered a serious bleed on the brain, Sandra underwent emergency neurosurgery in which surgeons removed a section of the skull to relieve dangerous pressure on her brain. Sandra has remained in intensive care since.

Sandra and her late husband John used to spend 3 months a year in Altinkum in their villa then apartment. She had started travelling on her own after John passed away, always meeting up with friends they had made over the years. She was still visiting for at least a month every year before the accident.

Sandra’s family have now flown out to be by her side and have launched a major fundraising appeal for £90,000 for her medical care and to return her safely home to the UK. To date, the appeal has raised £1,400. For those wanting to donate, go to: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-us-bring-sandra-home

Sandra’s granddaughter Ellie Coppin, of Bishop’s Stortford, who launched the appeal said her nan’s travel insurers were only prepared to only cover 23.66% of the medical costs.

Sandra Morphew

Her hospital bill has already reached approximately £44,000 and is increasing by around £1,000 every day. On top of this, the family have been told that an air ambulance to return Sandra to the UK could cost about £80,000.

Nikki Howard described her mother-in-law Sandra and her late husband John as “very colourful characters” and would be known to many in the resort.

She added: “Her family have already given the hospital everything they can right now. Sandra’s granddaughter (Ellie) has now set up a Crowdfunder in the hope that, with the help of friends, family and the wider community, we can raise enough to get Sandra home.”

On the funding page, Ellie said: “Sandra travelled to Turkey on her own and suffered a serious accident on 30 August 2026, falling down a flight of stairs. After the major operation, she remains in intensive care.

“She is still very poorly and has required mechanical ventilation to support her breathing. More recently, the medical team has been trying to determine whether she can gradually be weaned from the ventilator. If Sandra is unable to breathe adequately without this support, we have been advised that she may require a tracheostomy to provide a more suitable long-term airway.”

Ellie added Sandra’s family are now in Turkey trying to deal with both her medical situation and the enormous financial consequences of her accident. “Our priority now is to make sure Sandra receives the care she needs and, as soon as doctors consider it safe, to bring her home to the UK to continue her treatment and rehabilitation surrounded by her family.”