Heartbreak hotel for Helaina

Reporter: Gillian Potts
Date online: 13 January 2012

A PLUCKY teenager who has overcome horrific health problems and is beating the odds to reach her milestone 18th has been dealt a birthday blow.

UK Children of Courage winner Helaina Stone (17) has suffered a lifetime of illnesses, battling cancer twice and surviving brain and open heart surgery not to mention many operations on her back, feet and knees.

So to celebrate the birthday she was told she would never see, her family arranged for Heliana — who has Costello syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes physical disabilities, learning difficulties and speech problems — to have a big celebratory bash at their regular haunt, The Bower Hotel, in Chadderton.

But her birthday dreams were shattered at the weekend when the hotel pulled out of the plans.

Helaina’s mum Cath — who booked the party for this coming July in February, 2011, with previous management — says after issues over the room she’d hired she was told she couldn’t have the party there because she had “complained too many times at other events”.

Shocked Cath, of New Moston, says she can’t believe how badly Helaina and her have been treated.

“Helaina is terribly upset, how could they do this to a child like my daughter?

“What a horrible thing to do to someone in her position who’s not only made it to her 18th birthday, when we were told she never would, but may not even see her 19th due to her life-limiting condition. I’m absolutely disgusted.

“As for complaining, I have complained a couple of times. We go there a lot and there have been occasions when I’ve felt the need to complain but what’s that got to do with Helaina’s party?

“She had her 16th birthday there and really wanted her 18th there. It was going to be something very special but I don’t know what will happen now, there’s only six months to go and I can’t see us finding anywhere else.”

Cath is also fuming over how the whole room hire trauma began which started, she says, after she “happened” to bump into the new owner in the bar last week.

“I didn’t even know there was a new owner,” said Cath.

“I told him I’d booked their Sheridan Suite for my daughter’s 18th and he said it was unavailable due to being refurbished. They offered me another room which has been beautifully done up but it wasn’t suitable and doesn’t hold enough people.

“Just when were they going to let me know about this? I even have a written contract for the booking.

“The whole thing has been dealt with very badly.”

The Chronicle approached The Bower Hotel but they refused to comment on the allegations.

If you know of a suitable venue for Cath to hire for Helaina’s very special birthday bash in July email c.stone8@ntlworld.com.