The parents of a young British mother who died after traveling overseas for weight-loss surgery have been awarded £858,000 (about $1.08 million) in damages after a court ruled that the medical tourism company that arranged her trip was legally responsible for failures in her care.
Khelisyah Ashamu, a 26-year-old IT worker and mother of one, traveled to Izmir in early 2019 for gastric bypass surgery to address post-pregnancy weight concerns.
She had booked a roughly £3,000 package through Get Slim in Turkey, a company run by British expatriates that marketed all-inclusive surgery trips.
Complications After Surgery
Ashamu underwent a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure on Feb. 1, 2019, a common weight-loss operation that reduces stomach capacity and reroutes part of the digestive system to limit food intake.
Court evidence showed she experienced severe pain afterward and required a second exploratory surgery two days later. She was moved to intensive care following the procedure.
Eight days after her initial surgery, Ashamu suffered cardiac arrest and fell into a coma. She died on Feb. 9, 2019.
A coroner later ruled her cause of death as gastrointestinal ischemia — a lack of blood flow to the intestines — resulting from complications of surgery.
Court Finds Agency Liable
Ashamu’s parents, Toyin and Oyebanji Ashamu, sued the company’s operator, Tracey Ozdemir, arguing that the agency functioned as the organizer of a package travel contract that included both the surgery and accommodations.
In her ruling, Mrs Justice Obi determined the agency was legally responsible for ensuring proper performance of the medical services it arranged.
The judge accepted expert testimony that there had been “inadequate post-operative monitoring and airway care” following the second operation.
She also concluded the company had actively marketed comprehensive surgical packages — including hospital arrangements — meaning it could not be treated merely as a referral service.
“I recognize how difficult these proceedings must have been for you,” the judge told Ashamu’s parents, offering condolences while noting that compensation could not undo their loss.
Broader Medical Tourism Concerns
The case highlights growing concerns about medical tourism, an industry in which patients travel abroad to seek more affordable procedures.
In the United States, gastric bypass surgery can cost tens of thousands of dollars, leading some patients to consider overseas options advertised at significantly lower prices. Experts warn that while many international providers offer safe care, standards for post-operative monitoring, legal protections, and follow-up treatment can vary widely.
For American patients, legal experts say the ruling underscores the importance of understanding who bears responsibility when procedures are booked through package travel arrangements.
