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NORTH EDITION roundtownnews.com Great expectations for Benidorm with Jet2 JET2 HOLIDAYS, in Benidorm, has expressed its “great expectations” for 2013 with an 18% increase on holidays booked this year p5
Expats urged to make correct use of EHIC cards
A CAMPAIGN to explain how the cards should be used was launched in Alicante by David Pennington p8
Exchanging money HOW DO I know when is the best time to exchange my currency at the rate I want? p30
Exclusive weekend breaks
DISCOVER AND explore some fascinating and historic corners of Spain with some new and exclusive offers from RTN and Gandia Tours p39
Wenger’s gunner go, surely!? IT DOESN’T take a brave man to assume that Arsenal will now go eight years without silverware p62
Issue 697
Where there is hope there’s a way 22-28 FEBRUARY 2013
ALICANTE HOSPITAL is the temporary home for one of their tiniest residents; Ellizeah Hilton, who was born 13 weeks early and is presently in their Intensive Care Unit receiving the best of care. by Keith Nicol ELLIZEAH WAS born on Saturday 26th January by emergency caesarean weighing just 930g (about 2lb) in the ‘Hospital General Universitario de Elche’ in Alicante. After battling for life for eight days she was transferred to ‘Hospital General de Alicante’ for a life saving operation. Parents Zowie Lyons and Sam Hilton were visiting Sam’s mother Allison Treanor on a fiveday mini-break when Zowie was whisked away to hospital to have the baby. A month later, they find themselves stranded in Spain with no money, zero knowledge of Spanish and for a while, without anywhere to stay. However, sometimes things happen in mys-
Little Ellizeah in her incubator
terious ways and their predicament was picked up by the Manchester Evening News and then in Spain by Denia based charity Grant-a-Wish, who spread the word locally as to the plight of the couple. Zowie and Sam were not allowed to stay overnight in Alicante Hospital and quickly ran out of money. Hearing this, Jody Kirby, founder of Grant A Wish did not hesitate to spring into action and along with one her senior directors they drove south to meet the parents. This action was a godsend to Zowie and
Sam as Jody presented them with a four figure sum, donated by the charity Grant A Wish to help all three get through the next few weeks. For a few days the couple stayed in Elche thanks to the kindness of one local who heard of their dilemma. But this was three hours travel each way so with their donation, they booked themselves into a small hotel in Alicante, which is now just a ten-minute taxi drive away from the hospital. Continued on page 3