Gwyn Elward was two days into his holiday in Zante with his wife of 52 years, Rosalind, when he felt so “shattered” he couldn’t get out of bed, leading to a heartbreaking diagnosis
A dad who fell ill during a trip to Greece is now facing a staggering £38,000 medical bill after his insurance “won’t pay out.”
Gwyn Elward was just two days into his Zante holiday with Rosalind, his wife of 52 years, when he felt so “shattered” he couldn’t get out of bed.
Rosalind, 74, insisted he see a doctor and after a few checks, an ambulance was called to take Gwyn, 73, to the local hospital. Upon arrival, Rosalind simply showed Gwyn’s UK Global Health Insurance Card, which allows for necessary state healthcare within Europe.
After spending four days in the local hospital, doctors advised that Gwyn needed more specialist treatment and he was transferred to a hospital in Athens. They arrived in the middle of the night and Gwyn was immediately taken to intensive care.
However, Rosalind signed a document she believed was necessary for admission and was then asked for a £5,000 deposit. “I said I’m insured. He said no, as a deposit, so panic me now I just paid it. He was in that hospital then for nearly two weeks. They kept onto me they wanted paying, they wanted thirty grand. I said I haven’t got 30 grand, I was in a right state,” she explained.
Rosalind’s family managed to secure a hotel close to the hospital, allowing her to walk over and visit Gwyn daily. Due to intensive care restrictions, she could only spend 15 minutes with him each day, fully masked and gowned, reports Wales Online.
During these brief visits, Gwyn expressed his worries about the air conditioning unit to Rosalind. “When we got back home then, he was in hospital here, and they detected legionella,” Rosalind recounted.
She is convinced that the intensive care room was the source of his Legionnaires’ disease, an illness contracted by inhaling water droplets containing harmful bacteria.
Environmental health officers conducted a home visit to take samples on September 14, and the couple is awaiting further information on the infection’s origin. Gwyn had initially spent four days in a community hospital in Zante, followed by another 13 days in an Athens hospital, including three days in intensive care for heart treatment, which is now under control.
Upon returning home, Gwyn was admitted to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and Legionnaires’ disease. After receiving four blood transfusions, he was finally discharged last week.
Rosalind has been left to grapple with the financial strain of a hefty medical bill after being informed by her travel insurance that they won’t cover the costs. She explained, “They sent me a letter with a breakdown of what we’re going to pay, it is £30,000 for the hospital, then it’s four doctors at £1,000 something to each.”
Amidst the stress, a friend has launched a GoFundMe page to alleviate some of the pressure. Overwhelmed by the support, Rosalind shared that people have been “incredibly kind” in contributing to the fundraiser, expressing her and Gwyn’s deep appreciation for the assistance received.
