A family almost lost out on their 'dream holiday' after a life altering turn of events.
The Palin-Morgan family, from Ellesmere Port, have been blighted by a devastating condition- Carvajal Syndrome, which affects two of their children, Lucy and Thomas. Tragically, another of their daughters, Aleisha, died as a result of the condition in 2008, aged just eight.
Carvajal Syndrome is a rare heart condition, with symptoms such as heart disease, woolly like hair and thickening of the skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The condition is so uncommon that when Lucy was born in 2007, she was just the fourth known case in the world.
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After undergoing a successful heart transplant last year, Lucy has recovered well, however, little brother Thomas has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. The 11-year-old is currently undergoing treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital after his parents noticed something wasn't right.
Mum Khristine told the ECHO : "I knew something wasn't right, Thomas wasn't eating and he was very quiet but we were being told it was a sickness bug. Lucy was due a check up in Great Ormond Street so we raised our concerns with them. Our concerns were right as as scans revealed his heart function was at 11%.
"He was given medication which thankfully worked well. He's been a little bit better recently and has been moved from intensive care to the high dependency unit."
However, Thomas' illness put the family's 'dream holiday' plans on hold, with them due to fly to Tenerife on Friday, May 20. While Khristine attempted to explain the exceptional circumstances to Jet2, she was left frustrated and 'in tears' after hours on the phone.
Initially, the family were told they would have to pay almost £1,000 on top of the near £4,000 already shelled out for the trip. However, after Khristine contacted the ECHO, we raised the issues with Jet2 directly.
The company then contacted Khristine, offering her a full refund of the trip, in credit for a future holiday A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We have been in contact with the customer and everything is now resolved."
Khristine told the ECHO: "This is more than just a holiday for us, while Lucy was being put to sleep for all her operations, she was dreaming of being back in Tenerife with her family- it is her happy place."
