Rotorua girl's fundraiser in honour of her Nan

By Te Ao Māori News

The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic netball team were at a special brain tumour support-fundraiser in Rotorua in honour of Addy, the grandmother of a young Māori girl.

10-year-old Tyla-Jaz, who says her grandmother was her best friend, came up with the idea for the fundraiser held on Sunday.

"Last year, my Nan passed away from a brain tumour," Tyla-Jaz said, who set up a small stall 'TJ & Co' at Geyser City Squash courts.

"It's a fundraiser for NZ Brain Tumour Support, they have their awareness week starting this week," her dad said.

"It's a special kaupapa for our whānau, we lost my mother-in-law, my partner Keita's mother, to brain cancer.

"It's a whakaaro that was brought up by my daughter. She wanted to do something to fundraise some money for this foundation. Anything we can do to support the kaupapa is awesome."

The fundraiser included a four sports competition - squash, racquetball, darts and table tennis - with a "bit of a twist"

"Being that it's Halloween, so a few different rules mixed in there. A bit of a freaky Sunday," said Tyla-Jaz's father.