Deborah Watson-Simcock went on a camping trip in February while vacationing in Eastern Australia with her husband, Graham Simcock, his sister and his brother-in-law. While they all were exposed to mosquitoes, only Watson-Simcock contracted a rare, mosquito-borne disease called Murray Valley Encephalitis. After she contracted the virus, her brain and spinal cord became infected. She was hospitalized in Perth, Australia, Feb. 27 and fell into a coma for a week. She is paralyzed from the chest down and is on a ventilator.
After visiting her in the hospital, Matthew Watson, her son and a parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas, is trying to bring her home to care for her despite the many challenges heightened by the 12-hour time difference. “Perth, Western Australia, is about the furthest point away from the eastern U.S. as anywhere else on Earth,” he said.
Since Australia has extended public healthcare for citizens only, Watson-Simcock’s American Medicare plan covers her care only temporarily. Watson is unsure how much longer her coverage will continue. While doctors still nurse Watson-Simcock in the ICU, they have requested Watson find a way to bring his mother back to the U.S. All methods of transportation come with a large price tag, and Watson said none are covered by Medicare.
Air ambulance transportation from Perth costs between $250,000 to $300,000. Another option would require a commercial airline to remove a block of seats from the back of a jet and erect a temporary partition to give her privacy and accommodate her nurses and her ventilator. This plan costs $70,000 to $80,000.
With a transfer pending between Royal Perth Hospital and Fairfax INOVA, Watson is trying to raise funds for the commercial transportation plan. He created a GoFundMe page, which has raised just over $11,000 toward the $80,000 goal, but with no social media accounts, he has struggled to circulate the page.
Watson-Simcock is awake and in stable condition, but she only has movement in part of her right arm, her head and neck. With improved strength in her lungs, she is able to breathe a few hours a day off the ventilator using pressurized oxygen.
“I’m trying to raise the money, because our family would like to try to get her back to the U.S. to be closer to family and friends. And we’re hopeful (she’ll) improve seeing some of those faces,” Watson said. “I’m appreciative of anyone considering a donation … to help my family return her back home.”
To Donate:
