Jade Bird, 33, has been placed into an induced comaOwen Hughes Business correspondent and Ellie Gosley Reporter
08:53, 17 Mar 2026Updated 09:53, 17 Mar 2026
Jade Bird is seriously ill in hospital in Tenerife
A Welsh mum is fighting for her life in hospital after becoming unwell at a holiday island airport. Jade Bird, 33, had been enjoying a break in Tenerife and was scheduled to fly back last Wednesday.
However, the mum-of-one from Abergele, Conwy, became ill whilst at the airport – complaining of a headache and earache. The seriousness of her symptoms prompted medics to call an ambulance to transport her to hospital.
A scan revealed an infection on her brain and she was placed in an induced coma. The infection has developed into meningitis. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter.
Jade’s sister-in-law Victoria Bird, and Jade’s mum Janine have travelled 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 launched to support Jade, who works as a carer for vulnerable adults, and her family. They have already raised more than £7,500, reports North Wales Live.
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.
“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.
“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.
“We haven’t managed to break the news to her daughter yet as she’s staying with my husband. Skyla needs her mummy home.”
Jade Bird and her daughter Skyla
The family looked into medical evacuation flights and discovered this costs between £50,000 and £100,000.
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 inform Skyla her mum is unwell and fear this will be even worse if Jade remains in another country and she can’t visit 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.”
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