Heroes step in for game with supportive brothers

Jaida with her brothers (from left) Cambell, Ayden and Bradlee. Photo / Christine Cornege

Eleven-year-old Jaida Maxwell-Davies' three cricket-mad brothers are often by her side during hospital visits.

Yesterday, they got to meet their heroes from the Hamilton-based Northern Districts cricket team after Jaida penned a letter to the cricketers, outlining what she and the rest of her Tokoroa family have been through.

Jaida has lived with a congenital and undiagnosed bowel condition, which means she's always constipated and in pain, but as she's experienced it since birth she doesn't feel it anymore.

Northern Knights players Anurag Verma, Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell leapt at the chance to help and yesterday joined Jaida's brothers Cambell, 8, Bradlee, 13, and Ayden, 16, at the Tokoroa Cricket Club.

Northern Knights players Anurag Verma, Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell wait for their turn to bat as Jaida Maxwell-Davies builds her innings. Photo / Christine Cornege

The Northern Knights support the True Colours Children's Health Trust, which assists youngsters with chronic and serious illnesses and their families. Jaida is one of the children that receives the trust's support.

In 2008, Jaida spent 29 weeks in hospital, before enduring another tough battle between April last year and February this year.

Her mum, Amanda Davies, said the toughest aspect was not knowing exactly what was wrong with her daughter.

She said her daughter displayed all the symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease.

However, countless tests and biopsies had all come back negative.

Mrs Davies said Jaida was a trooper despite what life had thrown at her. "She does have moods, but she just deals with it. She manages to live a normal life as a normal kid."

Mrs Davies was floored by the Northern Knights' response, which all came about from a letter from an 11-year-old Tokoroa girl.