Caitlin Mackay's family are fighting a desperate battle to save her life after a decade-long struggle with anorexia with the 26-year-old still in a critical condition15:22, 15 May 2026The family of a young woman battling anorexia believe she is being sent home from hospital to die.‌Caitlin Mackay remains in critical condition after she collapsed during a medical appointment at the Eating Disorder Services in Inverness, Scotland, last week. The 26-year-old was rushed to the city's Raigmore Hospital where her condition was deemed life-threatening.‌Staff have been feeding her through a nasogastric tube, and medical monitoring has revealed visible heart damage resulting from years of starvation. But despite the severity of Caitlin's condition, the relatives faces the prospect of her being discharged early next week.‌Her older sister Hollie, 28, has described the terrifying moment Caitlin's health deteriorated as staff attempted to take blood samples. "Her heart rate went down, her sugars were down, everything was just plummeting," she said.READ MORE: Brit living in Dubai in sudden death as shocked friends pay tributeREAD MORE: Signs of 'silent killer' Dr Amir Khan says all women need to be aware of"I'm angry about it, it's disgusting," Hollie said. "It is ridiculous that they can see her in this state and still choose to discharge her for 'not engaging' when it is actually their job to help her engage in the first place."‌She likened the current plan to "throwing someone out to sea or into the water and telling them to just swim, but they can't swim". Caitlin has been struggling with anorexia nervosa for a decade. She has previously been discharged from eating disorder services in February due to a perceived "lack of engagement" with the service.The family launched an urgent GoFundMe campaign to secure private specialist treatment, fearing that the healthcare system has reached its limit.The Mackay family, including parents Mandy and Dougie, believe that sending Caitlin home without intensive inpatient support is equivalent to a death sentence.‌According to Hollie, Caitlin is fully aware of the gravity of her physical state and is "absolutely terrified" of the impending discharge. "She knows that she needs help," Hollie added. "She knows that if she goes home, she's going home to die. That's how serious it is, and they know this because she's told them."The fundraiser aims to secure a place in a private specialist facility where professionals can manage the complex mental and physical aspects of the illness, which Hollie describes as an "addiction for control".‌While the initial target was set at £8,000, the family is aware that long-term care could cost anywhere from £20,000 to £100,000. The community response has been swift, with donations already exceeding £6,000.Caitlin has found some comfort in visits from her French bulldog, Harvey, but the family remains focused on the urgent need for a transfer to specialist care.Hollie is urging the public to support the appeal to ensure Caitlin has the future she deserves beyond the illness.Article continues below"Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly towards her treatment and care. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much to us. We're basically fundraising to save her life," she said.NHS Highland said it cannot comment publicly on individual cases, but states that it is "engaging directly with the family and committed to supporting them through what we know is an extremely difficult time".Donations can be made via the official GoFundMe page here.