A dream holiday to China turned into a terrifying ordeal for a Mornington Peninsula couple after an unexpected medical emergency left them facing hospital bills of $2,000 per day.

David Crowley, 64, and his wife Penelope were enjoying their long-awaited trip when things took a serious turn in the city of Guilin. What started as mild chest discomfort quickly worsened overnight. By morning, David could barely move, was struggling to breathe, and had turned pale.

Panicked, Penelope rushed to the hotel reception for help, and within minutes, an ambulance arrived. David was taken to Guilin People’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with heart failure. He was placed in an induced coma and underwent emergency surgery to insert two stents.

While doctors worked to save David’s life, the financial reality of the situation quickly hit. Within two days, the couple was handed an $11,000 bill, with ongoing hospital costs rising by $2,000 a day. To make matters worse, their travel insurance provider refused to cover the expenses, citing David’s 2023 precautionary stent procedure as a pre-existing condition.

GoFundMe Raises Over $16K in Nine Days

Back home, their son Liam Crowley launched a GoFundMe campaign on March 12 to help cover the medical costs and bring his parents home. The original post read:

“Hi, we are the family of Dave Crowley.
While on holiday in China, our dad suffered a serious medical episode, described by doctors as heart failure. The medical bills are already extensive and still climbing as he receives ongoing treatment.

We are expecting him to be there for an extended period of time, with hospital costs averaging at $2,000 a day.

Our mum/his wife Penelope is now in a foreign country on her own, trying to navigate medical costs as well as translation and accommodation issues.

We would greatly appreciate any donation anyone is willing to give.

Thank you, the Crowley Family.”

The response was overwhelming. In just nine days, 166 donations poured in, raising a total of $16,283.

On March 21, after reaching their fundraising goal, the family closed the campaign, saying they believed they had enough to cover the medical costs and bring David home. Liam shared this update:

“G’day all!

Dave/Dad is improving every day, and the care from the hospital has been second to none.

The goal now is to get him discharged in the coming days, let him rest, and make sure he’s strong enough for the flight home.

Thanks to the generosity of so many, we now believe we have enough to cover the medical bills.

With that in mind, we’re closing the fundraiser and shifting all of our focus to Dad’s recovery.

Our family is beyond grateful for everyone who messaged, called, donated, or offered any kind of help.

We appreciate all the love and support more than words can say.

Thank you, The Crowley Family.”

Focus Shifts to Recovery

As of March 15, David was awake and breathing on his own. Now, with the fundraiser complete, the family is focusing on getting him discharged and preparing for the journey back to Australia.

Their ordeal is a stark reminder of the risks of travelling without comprehensive insurance that covers pre-existing conditions. However, for now, the Crowleys are simply grateful for the kindness of their community and bringing David home soon.