A British Columbia family is facing a desperate race against time and mounting costs to bring their 78-year-classic mother home from China, where she remains in a coma following a stroke. Lilia Avoutova, a Burnaby, B.C. Resident, collapsed in Kunming, China, on March 6th, just two days after arriving for a long-awaited family reunion.
Avoutova and her husband, Savout, 79, had travelled to China hoping to visit her birthplace in Xinjiang, a region in northwest China, according to her daughter, Elena Lanteigne. The trip was particularly meaningful as Avoutova hadn’t seen her relatives in over a decade and anticipated it would be her final visit.
“It was really tough, so the reunion never happened,” Lanteigne said, speaking from Kunming where she and her brother have been since shortly after their mother’s hospitalization. “It’s really tough to see your loved one in a hospital bed and intubated… and not knowing how they’re doing.”
Avoutova’s family history is rooted in the region. She lived in China until the age of ten, when her family was displaced after her father’s farm was confiscated by the government. They subsequently relocated to Kazakhstan, where Avoutova married and started a family before immigrating to Canada approximately 30 years ago.
Communication with medical staff in Kunming has proven challenging due to language barriers, forcing Lanteigne and her brother to rely heavily on translation tools. “We’re using Google Translate to try and understand what the doctors are saying about her condition,” she explained.
Adding to the family’s distress, Avoutova and her husband did not purchase travel medical insurance prior to their trip. The cost of intensive care in the Kunming hospital is approximately $1,000 USD per day, a significant financial strain. “My parents live a very frugal life, and they are pretty much out of money at this point,” Lanteigne stated. She and her brother have contributed from their savings, but those funds are dwindling.
The family is now grappling with the immense expense of medical transport. Quotes for an air ambulance, equipped with a medical team, range around $400,000 USD. A more affordable option – transporting Avoutova on a commercial flight using a stretcher service – is estimated at $108,800 USD. However, this method carries risks due to Avoutova’s cerebral hemorrhage, as changes in altitude can exacerbate pressure on the brain.
Her family doctor has advised waiting at least one to two months to allow any internal bleeding to subside, making air travel safer. Lanteigne expressed hope that her mother will soon be moved from the ICU to a rehabilitation unit, allowing them time to prepare for her return to Canada.
Avoutova is described by her daughter as a warm and welcoming person who easily connects with others. Known affectionately as “babushka” by her four grandchildren, she was renowned for her hospitality, always offering tea and food to visitors. “If she doesn’t have anything in her house, she will run to the store, and she will find something in her cupboards,” Lanteigne recalled.
Recently, the family received encouraging news: Avoutova briefly opened her eyes and exhibited slight movement in her hand. Lanteigne has been sharing messages of support from friends and family, as well as audio and video recordings from her grandchildren, hoping to stimulate her recovery.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by a friend has raised over $16,000 USD as of Saturday, representing nearly 70 per cent of the fundraising goal. “I’m just blown away. I’m really shocked, so surprised by the sheer volume of the people who have arrive out to help,” Lanteigne said. “It’s been amazing to see that.”
The family continues to navigate the complex logistical and financial challenges of bringing Avoutova home, while awaiting further updates on her condition and hoping for her eventual transfer to a rehabilitation program.
