Parents of Nigerian Woman Who Died After Weight Loss Surgery in Turkey Awarded ₤858,000 Compensation

The family of Khelisyah Ashamu, a young Nigerian woman who tragically passed away following a low-cost gastric bypass operation in Turkey, has been awarded a total of ₤858,000 in compensation.

Khelisyah, aged 26 and a mother of one, died only eight days after the surgical procedure at a hospital located in Izmir in February 2019. Struggling with weight issues and dissatisfied with her stomach's appearance post- Caesarean section, she pursued surgical options abroad to achieve her desired results.

Her family revealed that she had engaged the services of a medical tourism company, Get Slim in Turkey, which is run by a British expatriate, hoping the surgery would help her achieve her health goals. The procedure cost her ₤3,300 for the surgery and related accommodations.

Unfortunately, Khelisyah fell seriously ill soon after the surgery and experienced a cardiac arrest during a follow-up operation. She eventually passed away in a Turkish hospital on February 9, 2019.

An investigation led by a coroner determined that her death was due to gastrointestinal ischaemia—a lack of blood supply to the intestines—which arose as a complication of her surgery.

Following this painful loss, her parents, Toyin and Oyebanji Ashamu, filed a lawsuit in the High Court against Tracey Ozdemir, who operates under Get Slim in Turkey. They sought damages on behalf of their daughter's estate related to her untimely death.

Although Ms. Ozdemir denied responsibility, Justice Obi ultimately ruled against her, awarding the Ashamu family ₤858,000.

The ruling was based on expert testimony that indicated there had been insufficient post-operative monitoring and inadequate airway care after Khelisyah's second surgery.

The judge determined that Ms. Ozdemir, as the organizer of the surgical package, was responsible for ensuring the surgery and postoperative care met proper standards, leading to the significant damages awarded.

In expressing her condolences to Miss Ashamu's parents, the judge acknowledged the difficulty of the legal proceedings and hoped that the outcome would bring them some sense of comfort following their loss.

During the trial, evidence presented revealed that Khelisyah, who worked in IT and lived in Romford, contacted Ms. Ozdemir about surgical options following concerns about her appearance and her weight. After consultations, she chose a ₤3,300 surgical package and traveled to Turkey in January 2019 for a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure.

This surgical intervention connects the upper part of the stomach directly to the small intestine, significantly limiting food intake and helping patients feel satisfied with smaller meals.

Despite the initial optimism, Khelisyah experienced severe pain and required additional surgery a couple of days after the first one. Following her second operation, she was transferred to intensive care, yet no medical monitoring occurred prior to her unexpected cardiac arrest, which ultimately resulted in her coma.

Her father flew to Turkey upon hearing she was responding to treatment, only to be informed later by a brain specialist that she had suffered irreversible brain damage. Shortly thereafter, her life support was discontinued without her family's consent, leading to her passing.

Following her death, her parents filed a legal complaint against Ms. Ozdemir, alleging that the travel agency was liable for the circumstances surrounding Khelisyah's death. They argued that her surgery was a significant aspect of the travel package they contracted.

Counsel for the Ashamus claimed that Get Slim effectively acted as the organizer of the package, which included necessary medical procedures alongside travel and accommodation services.

Despite Ms. Ozdemir’s defense of being merely an introducer who connected patients with medical facilities, the judge concluded that there was indeed a package travel contract in place between Get Slim and Khelisyah, confirming that the company had marketed and provided surgical procedures as part of these packages.

Ultimately, the judge found that because Ms. Ozdemir did not contest the compensation amount, the court awarded ₤858,000 to Khelisyah's estate.