Jade Bird was waiting for a flight home from Tenerife before she was rushed to hospital
17:05, 16 Mar 2026Updated 17:06, 16 Mar 2026
Jade Bird, from Abergele
A North Wales mum is fighting for her life in hospital after falling ill at a holiday island airport. Jade Bird, 33, had been on a break in Tenerife and was due to fly back last Wednesday.
But the mum-of-one from Abergele fell ill while in the airport – complaining of a headache and earache. The severity of her symptoms saw medics call an ambulance to take her to hospital.
A scan found an infection on her brain and she was placed in an induced coma. The infection has developed into meningitis.
Jade’s sister in law Victoria Bird, and Jade’s mum Janine have flown out to Tenerife to be at her bedside. They are now desperate to bring her home but a medical evacuation will cost more than £50,000.
A Gofundme has been started to support Jade, who works as a carer for vulnerable adults, and her family. They have already raised more than £7,500.
Victoria, from Rhuallt, said: “Late Wednesday night around 9pm I got a devastating phone call of my sisters in-law’s boyfriend saying my sister had taken ill and was extremely poorly all whilst they are on holiday in Tenerife.
Jade Bird and her daughter, Skyla
“She was in the airport waiting to come home complaining of a headache and earache to the point they sent her in an ambulance to the nearest hospital where they have done a brain scan and found that she has an infection on her brain. From then they have placed her in an induced coma on a ventilator to try and rest her brain. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
“Myself and her mum flew out first thing Thursday morning when obviously the devastating sight of her was heartbreaking, the infection on the brain has now lead to meningitis. We are absolutely heartbroken and it is so hard being in another country with the language barrier.
“There is going be a point very soon that we are going to have to fly home as we just don’t have the money to stay here, but how do we fly home without her? How can we leave her here knowing we can’t see her and not being able to get an update on if she is ok.
“The thought of it is killing myself and my mother in law. Our family is very small I don’t have any family and there is just my mother in law, my husband, our four children and my sister-in-law Jade who is a single mummy of a 6 year old little girl.
Jade Bird and her daughter, Skyla
“We haven’t managed to break the news to her daughter yet as she’s staying with my husband. Skyla needs her mummy home.”
The family investigated medical evacuation flights and found this costs between £50,000 and £100,000. They have set up a Gofundme.
In an appeal Victoria said: “As you can imagine raising that amount of money without help from people like yourselves is going to be so hard. Jade is such a bubbly person, she’s so kind hearted and loving and would do anything for anyone.”
They are dreading having to tell Skyla her mum is poorly and fear this will be even worse if Jade is still in another country and she can’t see her.
Victoria added: “If you are able to help I thank you from the bottom of my heart and will always be so grateful. We just need her home, we can’t leave her here but we can’t stay here forever ourselves as we can’t afford too.”