Yeppoon dad Roger McLennan suffers severe illness in Portugal

A family’s dream holiday cruising Europe and exploring historic countries has turned into a nightmare which has seen their dad fighting for life, and the awful discovery their travel insurance won’t cover their medical expenses.

Yeppoon Dad Roger McLennan fell severely ill when holidaying in Portugal.

It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime cruising Europe and exploring some of its historic countries, but the holiday turned into horror when a Central Queensland father fell severely ill.

Roger McLennan, 56, his wife Jo and son Matt were two weeks into a five-week cruise of the continent when he was rushed to a Portuguese hospital with severe pancreatitis, spending more than a week in and out of an intensive care unit (ICU).

Back at home, more than 17,000 kilometres away, his daughter Brittany said things had been “touch and go” for her dad’s health.

“They were due to dock in Portugal for a day before moving on … there was no real lead up to him being unwell,” she said.

“The day they got into Portugal he was feeling quite unwell and was in serious pain and it was all go from there.

“He received medical treatment on the boat and was then rushed to the ICU at a private hospital.”

Roger McLennan, his son Matt and wife Jo.

Multiple tests revealed the Yeppoon man had gallstones which caused bile to seep and cause an infection, putting him at risk of sepsis.

To make things even more stressful for Jo, Roger’s wife, she and her son Matt were only allowed to visit one at a time.

“With him being in ICU they could only visit one at a time, and my brother has autism so mum couldn’t leave him.

“It was all ‘shock, shock, shock’ and being one of three daughters I was about to jump on a flight over, but I could do more here.”

If Roger being unwell wasn’t enough, the family was dealt yet another blow when they discovered his travel insurance did not cover any of his medical expenses.

“It was getting quite stressful, mum was having panic attacks as a result of the unknown,” Brittany said.

“She wasn’t sleeping or eating and was quite anxious, so it’s all going towards dad and the medical expenses.”

Wanting to help alleviate the strain of the huge medical bills, Brittany and her sisters decided to begin a GoFundMe to help her parents.

It has since raised more than $10,000 in just under a week.

Roger and Jo McLennan with their grandchildren.

“The money is going to be given to mum for any of the medical expenses,” she said.

“Mum received part of the medical bill and that’s about $18,000 Australian, so any of that money is going to help mum pay for that.

“When that’s done any other left over funds will go towards getting Dad home.”

‘MY SISTERS AND I HAVE CRIED 300 TIMES’

After more than 10 days of treatment in hospital, Brittany said her dad was doing “much better” and had been discharged from hospital.

She said he began his rehabilitation while in hospital but still has a long way to go.

“He has a long road to recovery and will need a procedure when he gets back to Australia,” she said.

“The staff at the hospital have just been amazing.”

Brittany said she and her family have been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of the community.

“My sisters and I have cried 300 times, people have been so kind, you don’t realise how big a small community can be,” she said.

“My parents couldn’t be anymore grateful and so are we, it’s just been an overwhelming response.”

Brittany said the GoFundMe would remain open until Roger is on home soil.

To make a donation to the GoFundMe visit the campaign page.