The nib Newcastle Knights full NRL squad visited the John Hunter Children's Hospital (JHCH) for their 12 Days of Christmas yesterday.
The team paid a visit to the various wards around the hospital, engaging with patients, families and staff to bring some joy during this festive season.
The JHCH's 12 Days of Christmas Appeal runs until Friday 16th December and includes an exciting line-up of visitors from superheroes to Therapy Dogs.
Fundraising Manager, Ellie Wells says the long-term partnership between the Knights and the Hospital remains pivotal for those in care.
"The Knights have been visiting the John Hunter Hospital for many, many years now and it's also been a flagship event," Wells said.
"It's part of our 12 days of Christmas and I think the families as much as the patients, look forward to seeing them every year so it's great to have the whole team here to visit."
"A lot of them [kids] have been here for a very long time, they'll spend Christmas in here and all they see every day is the four walls. These kinds of visits just break the days up and bring that bit of magic. We're trying to create some moments that bring some Christmas cheer and make it a happy positive experience for them."
Knights NRL player, Kalyn Ponga spoke about the experience.
"With COVID-19 over the past couple of years, it's been hard to be able to do this and it's a different experience for some of the boys. It was a good opportunity to spread some Christmas spirit," Ponga said.
Knights NRL player, Jayden Brailey also commented on the impact of the visit on players.
"For the young guys in our squad who haven't been exposed to this before, it puts a whole lot of things in your life into perspective and makes you grateful for what you do have. It's great to be able to make difference for those going through a tough time.
If you'd like to make a difference this Christmas, you can visit the John Hunter Children's Hospital's charity page here.
