html table

Hi Experts,

I am modifying a site done by someone else and the have used tables throughout the site.  I prefer semantic xhtml/css with divs.

Have look at the attached image and the table html below.  I would like to create a single div occupying the 'special promotions' cell and the hello world 3 cell.. kind of like merging them into one cell in that column while keeping the two rows in the first column (hello world & hello world 2).

I can't disturb that first first column and related rows because the orginal dev guy will go crazy.  Is there a way to merge the two tds on the right into one?

In the image you can see 'special promotions' and then an empty space below, the space is the empty cell below it.  I want make both cells one big cell (td) without messing with the other rows/cells.

here is the table:

<table>
<tr>
<td>
hello world
</td>
<td>
special promotions
</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>
hello world 2
</td>
<td>
hello world 3
</td>
</tr>
</table>