Cookies to cheer kids in hospital

SHARING THE SMILES: Frank Meads' family are fundraising to help buy cookies for those in Starship Hospital over the Christmas season. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

The Meads family know what it's like to spend Christmas Day in Starship Hospital - it was them last year.

And that's why they're doing their bit to make the day a bit brighter for those in the hospital this year by raising money to deliver festive-themed cookies to families at both Starship Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.

Tracey Meads said it would be a real treat for the family to wake up in their own beds this Christmas, after spending the last one in hospital where son Frank was receiving treatment for leukaemia.

The idea of the cookies was inspired by Starlit Hope, a Kiwi charity group that supports random acts of kindness for children in oncology wards throughout New Zealand.

The organisation was founded by Gabby Devine, a 13-year-old who died of bone cancer in May this year, and a girl who Frank struck up a close bond with while they were both receiving treatment.

"We joked that Gabby was Frank's first girlfriend. His eyes lit up when he saw her."

Mrs Meads said last Christmas Gabby had arranged for a special breakfast in Starship Hospital for the parents of kids in there, so it was a way of remembering her.

She said thanks to the help of Two Smart Cookie for just $2 per cookie they could supply a Christmas-themed cookie to the kids.

She hoped to raise enough money to deliver boxes to each of the wards at Starship Hospital as well as a couple of boxes to Ronald McDonald House.

Rotorua Child Care Centre had also supported the cause donating about $100.

To donate go to https:// givealittle.co.nz/cause/christmascookie before December 23.