A mother has started an online search to find the doctor who helped when her one-year-old daughter was taken seriously ill on a flight home to the UK.
Lesley Keeley and her partner Ben Rigg were flying from Egypt to Birmingham when little Nancy’s temperature spiked and she was at risk of having convulsions.
The 28-year-old personal trainer from Leeds said Nancy became pale and unresponsive, started having nose bleeds and her eyes rolled back in her head.
Lesley Keeley (right, with her partner Ben Rigg and their one-year-old daughter Nancy) were flying (left) when the little girl’s temperature spiked and she was at risk of having convulsions
The family were staying in Marsa Alam, Egypt, where they celebrated Nancy’s first birthday
The mystery doctor, known only as ‘Jo’, came forward and took charge of the situation, getting Nancy’s parents to strip her and put cold flannels on her head.
She even stayed with the family for two hours until emergency services arrived once they landed. Miss Keeley now wants to find ‘Jo’ and thank her again for her help.
The couple only know the doctor’s first name – Jo – and that she lives about 40 minutes from Birmingham. She flew from Marsa Alam to Birmingham on January 22.
Writing a post on Facebook directed to ‘Jo’, Miss Keeley said: ‘I know as a doctor that is a duty to look after others, however you could have easily sat there and not come forward. You also didn’t have to stay with us until the paramedics arrived.’
Nancy, pictured with Mr Rigg, is now feeling better and was diagnosed with an acute virus
Nancy, pictured again with Mr Rigg on holiday in Egypt, had been ‘clingy’ for a few days
The family had been in Egypt to celebrate Nancy’s first birthday. Miss Keeley had initially thought Nancy was teething and a bit off colour due to the change in the weather but had been ‘clingy’ for a few days.
‘I breastfeed and she wouldn’t leave me,’ Miss Keeley said. When Nancy’s temperature rocketed on the flight Miss Keeley called on cabin crew for Calpol but it made little difference to her condition.
She said: ‘I gave her some (Calpol) and it wasn’t having any effect and the doctor saw what was happening and came over.
‘She explained that her temperature was dangerously high and that we needed to cool her down otherwise we would start having convulsions. By this point, she was very pale, unresponsive and eyes just rolling in to the back of her head.
Writing a post on Facebook directed to ‘Jo’, Miss Keeley told how she wanted to thank her again
‘We stripped her off, (the) doctor wrapped her up in a special blanket. She started coming round but then started going downhill again and even started with nosebleeds. The doctor got some cold flannels for her head.’
After waiting at the airport for medics to assist the family the doctor left but Miss Keeley and Mr Rigg are keen to find her to say a proper thank you.
Once home Nancy seemed back to her usual self, and she was diagnosed with an acute virus.
The family were staying at the four-star Coral Hills Resort in Marsa Alam, where they celebrated Nancy’s first birthday.