Community rallies to support James Reid

James Reid in his class at Te Akau Ki Papamoa Primary last week. Photo / John Borren

James Reid is almost one-third of the way to America for a life-changing operation, thanks to the support of the Tauranga community.

Five-year-old James suffers from quadriplegia cerebral palsy. He also has hydrocephalus (or water on the brain) and epilepsy.

Read more about James here.

Donations on James' Givealittle page have reached almost $42,000 to help get him to America to get an operation called selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening, which would avoid further contractures (stiffness of his muscles and tendons), and reduce the need for more surgeries in the future.

Read about the efforts to help James here.

It was also the wee boy's first week at Te Akau Ki Papamoa Primary School this week - a milestone his parents thought he would never make.

Mum Sonja Reid said there were no tears on James' side on his first day at school.

"He was very taken with his teacher aide, he's a lovely guy who's awesome with James. He's very happy with his teachers as well. "

Mrs Reid was "blown away" by the amount of financial support received so far on Givealittle.

Read more about James' inspirational story here.

She said the donations had "shot up" after a fun day fundraiser in Maketu last weekend, held after his father Don Reid completed a 12.3km swim from Motiti Island to Maketu alongside Chiefs and All Blacks hooker Nathan Harris, Chiefs teammate Toni Pulu, and strength and conditioning coach Phil Healey.

Papamoa woman Annette Woods is also benefiting from support on Givealittle with $2710 donated to her cause.

With the money raised, Mrs Woods will travel to Hong Kong with her daughter Sama Dean to meet Mrs Dean's birth parents.

Mrs Dean was 2 when Mrs Woods flew to Hong Kong and adopted her from an orphanage.

Her birth mother offered to pay for the family's travel but Mrs Dean also wanted her mother to accompany her.