A MAN with multiple sclerosis has shared his fear that he could die alone after being “locked up” in a hospice.
Philip Curtis, 54, is bedridden and desperate to return to his home in the West Midlands after becoming increasingly ill.
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Benefactors have already raised £3,000 to help him travel back to Sandwell in the Black Country.
But Mr Curtis said he fears he will get stuck if he can’t raise around £20,000 for his transport.
He told the Express: “The British embassy is trying to solve my problem, but it is a slow process full of bureaucracy.
“I don’t have the money to pay to go home either.
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“As a result, I’m stuck here.”
Mr Curtis grew up in Sandwell, Birmingham and moved to the Czech Republic in 1995 with his girlfriend.
In 2002 he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). The incurable condition is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and nerves.
His relationship broke down when he lost his job in 2012.
After the dismay, his health began to deteriorate.
“It has now evolved to a state where I only have limited movement in my right arm, and unfortunately I am left-handed,” he said.
Mr Curtis has spent the past three years in hospice but says it doesn’t have enough money to properly care for him.
He shares his room with three elderly men and says his mental health is being “destroyed” after he has “watched many people die”.
Mr. Curtis’s friends are fighting hard to raise money for his return and have set up a GoFundMe page.
But the cost of returning to the UK for Mr Curtis has risen significantly as a result of his condition.
The friend who started the fundraiser said: “Phil worked and fell in love with this country.
‘LOCKED’
“He had a good job and a dream life, then his life started falling apart.
“He lost his job, he was diagnosed with MS… this has had a huge impact on Philip’s life.
“His MS has worsened, the country is ill-equipped for his condition and he is bedridden 24/7 and in a hospice where he regularly sees residents die.
“He now has no family or friends and his only communication with the outside world is through his laptop. This is a terrible situation to live in.”
“In 12 months his passport is expiring and he is now in his bed 24/7 wondering what will happen next.
“He has contacted both the Red Cross and the British Embassy and they have pledged to support him wherever possible. However, this comes at a price.”
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