British tourist, 57, fights for her life in Crete hospital after catching Legionnaires' Disease on dream holiday
Donna Jobling, 57, from west Hull, is currently in intensive care at Venizeleio Hospital in Heraklion after falling ill just days into the trip.
She had jetted out on the £1,500 all-inclusive holiday with her husband Sidney and their friends, Paula and Nicolas Mason, of Glasgow Street, Hull, but reported feeling unwell after contracting a chest infection on June 5.
Mrs Jobling, who suffers from 'complex' medical conditions including epilepsy, quickly became seriously ill and was taken to hospital on June 11 where doctors have put her in an induced coma.
Tests confirmed she had contracted Legionnaires' disease brought on by Legionella pneumophila, which triggered acute respiratory failure and pneumonia.
Mrs Jobling's 'devastated' family, who have since jetted out to see her on the Greek island, describe her as being like 'a mother to us all'.
Her niece Claire, 42, has been back-and-forth between Crete and Hull and is currently in East Yorkshire to obtain Mrs Jobling's insurance documents before flying back out.
'We are all devastated and beside ourselves,' the mother-of-six said.
'We were told it was touch and go whether she would survive. We are all praying for her. She is stable but under constant watch.'
The 42-year-old says Crete has long been a family favourite holiday destination, and one they all have 'happy memories' of.
Upon visiting the the Mediterranean island now, Claire can only see her auntie for 30 minutes in the 'strict' intensive care unit but says the staff are caring for her well.
Mrs Mason has also returned home with her husband after their close friend was admitted to hospital.
The 52-year-old said the holiday has been booked as a surprise by both her husband and Mr Jobling and that the start of the holiday had been 'lovely'.
'Then it came out from nowhere,' she said.
Legionnaires' is most commonly contracted through inhaling water droplets from contaminated air conditioning systems.
And while the source of the disease has not yet been identified in this case, Easyjet Holidays, with whom the couples travelled, have moved other customers out of the hotel they were staying in.
A spokesperson said: 'We're so sorry to hear that Ms Jobling is unwell, and we're continuing to support her and her family in every way we can.
'As soon as we were made aware of reports of illness, we immediately took action and contacted customers who were already staying in the hotel, or due to travel in the next four weeks, to provide alternative hotel options.
'We've also been in touch with customers who recently returned home from this hotel, to inform them of necessary guidance. Our customers' safety and wellbeing is our top priority, and we'll continue to do all we can to support them.'
It is understood that the hotel is currently working with local health authorities on the island.
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Exercise Walking, running, cycling, swimming - whatever you like, do it! Aerobic exercise can strengthen the heart and improve circulation. The NHS advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Strength training exercises can help control weight, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure. It is recommended twice a week by the NHS. Manage blood pressure Healthy diet and exercise can help keep your blood pressure in check. But it is worth monitoring it yourself after the age of 40, at least, when the NHS invites adults for a check-up every five years. High blood pressure often has no symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Quit smoking One of the best ways to quit smoking is to use resources provided by NHS Smokefree. Support groups, medications, and other tools to help quit smoking such as vapes could be what you need to kick the habit for good - and it's free. Limit booze Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure and contribute to weight gain, which can snowball and become a heart health risk. The NHS recommends not regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Nearly a third of men who'd left school at 16 or earlier had a heart age more than 10 years older than their actual age. Black and Hispanic were also more likely to have older hearts. Dr Khan said the heart age calculator could be particularly useful for younger adults who either want to get a head start with protecting their ticker or might need to be on preventative medication. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers worldwide. There are over 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK, with numbers projected to rise in the next couple of decades. They cause more than 170,000 deaths a year, according to the British Heart Foundation - that works out to about 480 a day. How to use the tool - and when to be concerned Dr Khan told that the heart age tool can be used as a "forecast" someone's risk of CVD over the next decade. While "it's probably not that meaningful if your age is off by one or two years", she said, the authors recommend getting concerned if the gap is five years or more. If you're seeing a large gap between your heart and actual age, this "likely points to worsening cardiovascular disease risk", even if you're young. 'The important thing is that we have very good options available in our toolbox to help slow that ageing down if we can identify it," Dr Khan noted. "This may be even more important in younger people who don't often think about their risk for heart disease." If your heart age is actually lower than your chronological age - what Dr Khan called the "the Holy Grail" - that's likely thanks to genetics. She suggested using the tool as motivation to boost your heart health, whatever your score. If you're a smoker, quitting the habit is a good place to start, as reducing your consumption of saturated fat if you have high cholesterol, and trying to keep your blood pressure in check. The Northwestern research team now plan to study whether presenting heart disease risk as an age improves outcomes and helps people better understand their need for preventive therapies.
