Christmas has come early for sick kids at Starship children's hospital.
Silver Ferns star Maria Tutaia this week played "Mother Christmas" at the central Auckland hospital, delivering a special supply of New World's "Little Christmas" collectibles - which go on sale tomorrow - to children.
It was the first ofseveral special deliveries from the supermarket to Starship patients - the company is also donating stacks of toys, decorations for the hospital's A & E clinic and wards and fruit and festive treats to staff and patients' parents.
Tutaia said it had been great to bring some pre-Christmas joy to the patients. "I feel for these kids because they are very brave and manage to look and act as if everything is normal for them," Tutaia said. "It makes me appreciate how lucky the rest of us are."
Two-year-old Petra Kemara, from Northland, pictured with Tutaia, and Michala Vatuvei, 12, from Auckland were delighted to meet the star and tore into the wrapping paper of several presents.
Sarah Fraser from the Starship Foundation said the characters would be ideal for medical staff to keep in their pockets and hand to youngsters as a reward.
