Covid 19 coronavirus: Nadene Lomu donates hundreds of face masks to children's kidney disease charity

Nadene Lomu, the widow of rugby legend Jonah Lomu, has donated 500 medical-grade face masks to Kiwi kids with kidney diseases.

One of the all-time great players to don the black jersey, Lomu died of a heart attack in November 2015 after a long battle with kidney failure.

Through her businesses, Nadene Lomu Cosmetics, Lomu's widow gifted the masks to Kidney Kids, a not-for-profit kidney disease charity for children.

Jonah Lomu playing against Australia at Sydney Football Stadium in 1995. Photo / Photosport

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic prompted Nadene to step forward and help families who were impacted by kidney diseases.

"Not having the necessary equipment within their homes to help ease the burden is difficult," she said.

"Seeing how difficult it was to get face masks, I knew I needed to figure out a way to help some of the charities close to mine and Jonah's hearts, so I did."

The donated masks were being couriered to vulnerable children who were on kidney dialysis and who had a kidney transplant.

More than 400 families throughout New Zealand were supported by Kidney Kids and the organisation was first established in 1990.

The majority of funding was through public donations and community grants (45 and 35 per cent), while the Government provided 3 per cent of funding.

After losing her husband, Nadene said the business was her "saving grace" and she wanted to use her suffering to help others knowing "how dark life" could be.

"It was my way of relating to people on a personal level where I could help share their burden in helping them to feel empowered and beautiful with who they are," she said.

"Before lockdown, I thought about how I would have had to get our family through the pandemic if Jonah were still with us and it was at that point that I decided to expand Nadene Lomu Cosmetics in a direction that I can continue to help others in what I knew first hand.

"So, by making this donation to Kidney Kids and their families, it is my way of helping to lighten the burden as best I can."