Stranded with a baby in Greece: the family’s perspective

They went from beach plans to neonatal intensive care, from relaxation to fear, in a matter of hours. Baby A was tiny, fragile, and needed urgent medical care. Her parents were in shock, stranded in a foreign country, trying to understand medical updates in another language, and completely alone.

Together, we can raise the standard of neonatal and paediatric repatriation and make sure no family faces their hardest days alone

Nothing prepares you for this. They were in survival mode, barely eating or sleeping, clinging to moments at their baby’s side while trying to figure out how to get her home.

They contacted their travel insurer right away. At first, there were soothing voices and promises of support. But then the delays began. “We’re still reviewing your case,” became a daily refrain. Plans were suggested and then postponed. Conflicting and confusing advice was given. Again and again, they packed in hope and unpacked in despair. The uncertainty was unbearable.

They understood it was complicated. But what they needed wasn’t perfection; it was honesty, urgency, and to be seen as more than a claim number. They were two new parents, trying to protect their baby in a country that wasn’t home.

Eventually, someone connected them with Lia’s Wings, and everything changed.

Calm and constructive intervention

From the first call, we focused on creating calm in the chaos. We didn’t just take down information, we listened. Every word, every fear, every moment of confusion.

Given the family’s difficult emotional and financial situation and the trust we had built, we stepped in to advocate on their behalf. Our team thoroughly reviewed the case. We explored multiple safe options for repatriation and were ready to assist. Most importantly, we made time and space for Baby A’s parents to share their concerns and ask any questions that they had. A clear path forward, open communication and a focus on managing expectations created a calm and constructive environment to start making progress together. However, they had coverage with their insurance provider – so why were they relying on a charity to support them?

After many weeks of uncertainty, their insurer did approve the repatriation. By this point, they were emotionally and financially exhausted.

What should have been a journey of support and progress became a story of survival through prolonged distress.

Although Baby A’s family are now home and grateful, the fear, helplessness, and feeling of being left in limbo while their baby was so vulnerable will stay with them.

This story reflects many experiences we’ve had with families, shaped by everything we’ve seen, supported, and learned over time.

These aren’t routine claims. They are extraordinary, life-changing events requiring an extraordinary response, rooted in compassion, urgency, and a deep sense of understanding as to the myriad of complications and complexity that a premature birth abroad brings to families’ lives.

Raising the standard of neonatal and paediatric repatriation together

Lia’s Wings is the UK’s first and only charity dedicated to supporting families experiencing a medical crisis abroad. We offer emotional and practical support and facilitate safe medical repatriation, including air ambulances and medical escorts, so that babies and critically ill children can return home and access the NHS care they urgently need, wherever they are in the world.

Our complete care package includes 24/7 crisis support, expert planning of medical repatriation using specialist teams, navigation of complex bureaucracy such as emergency travel documents, coordination with hospitals, embassies, and insurers, and ongoing aftercare to support reintegration into NHS services. We are by a family’s side at every stage, for as long as they need us.

Lia’s Wings wants to work with travel insurance companies to reduce delays, ease distress and improve outcomes for families. Too often, families are caught in a system not designed for urgent neonatal cases, facing delayed decisions, limited neonatal cover, and administrative hurdles that cost time and money to everyone. We want to make repatriation more than a process; it should be a promise that families won’t face their hardest days alone.

As a charity, we see firsthand how emotionally and logistically complex neonatal and paediatric repatriation can be. By partnering with Lia’s Wings, insurers can help deliver expert, compassionate care through seamless coordination with trusted medical teams in the UK and abroad. This partnership also extends support beyond medical care, offering families emotional and practical help from first contact through to ongoing aftercare. In doing so, insurance companies can build long-term brand trust by ensuring families feel heard, supported, and respected during their most vulnerable moments.

Lia’s Wings wants to work with travel insurance companies to reduce delays, ease distress and improve outcomes for families

With our experience and your support, we can simplify even the most complex situations and deliver faster, kinder solutions. Together, we can raise the standard of neonatal and paediatric repatriation and make sure no family faces their hardest days alone. We can help you do what you want to do best, and that is to service your customers and deliver an optimal service to all.