Melbourne teen’s ‘horrific’ health battle after experiencing seizures in Bali

A Melbourne teenager is in an induced coma in hospital after being medically evacuated from Indonesia when a case of Bali belly took a serious turn.

Essendon woman Julia Barresi, 18, was on holiday with her best friends in Bali last week when she became unwell with a suspected case of Bali belly.

Julia was in constant contact with her mother, Jen Barresi, who decided to fly to Bali on July 2 to nurse her daughter through the illness.

But before Jen had even left, Julia’s condition suddenly deteriorated.

“The girls called me on the Monday night (July 1) to say, ‘Jen, she’s having a seizure’,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.

“I was absolutely traumatised.”

Jen told her daughter’s friends to jump straight in a taxi to take her to hospital rather than wait for an ambulance.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” she said.

“She’s my best friend in the whole wide world and we live together and my house is not the same without her, so I have to bring her home.

“It’s the most horrendous, horrific experience.”

Jen landed in Bali the next day, and Julia’s father followed suit.

The pair decided they needed to get their daughter home to Australia as soon as possible and had her medically evacuated to Melbourne on Sunday night.

Medical expenses have set the family back about $192,000 so far, but Jen said she would have paid anything to bring her daughter back.

A family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs.

“We haven’t left her bedside since,” Jen said.

The middle of three children, Julia is “incredibly close” with her siblings.

Her older brother is travelling home from Spain to be by her side.

“We believe in our daughter, and we believe that she will make it,” Jen said.

“We’re fighting for her every step of the way.

“I’m giving her every bit of my strength, my parents are, her grandparents are.”

It is not clear what caused the seizures but Jen believes it may be related to low sodium levels brought on by Bali belly.

“She developed Bali belly through no fault of her own — she’s extremely careful and very hygienic,” Jen said.

The 18-year-old is surrounded by love as she recovers in hospital.

Julia will turn 19 on July 29 and her family hopes she will be well enough to celebrate with loved ones.

“She’s just a very honest, loyal and compassionate person,” Jen said.

“She’s someone I would want to be friends with if she wasn’t my daughter.

“There’s no appropriate words that would do her enough justice.

“She’s just an absolute treasure.”