MEDIA RELEASE
29 November 2006

Celebrities Add Festive Cheer For 250 Young Kidz First Children's Hospital Patients This Weekend

Blues rugby players Doug Howlett, Troy Flavell, Isa Nacewa and Tom McArtney join NZ Idol runner-up Indira Moala and other famous faces at SKYCITY this weekend, to celebrate Christmas with 250 young patients (and their caregivers) that are in long-term care with Kidz First Children's Hospital Counties Manukau.

To highlight this special occasion, SKYCITY will dedicate the lighting of Sky Tower in Christmas colours - red and green - to Kidz First Children's Hospital. This will take place from dusk on Friday, 1 December and remain the same through to 29 December 2006.

The Kidz First Christmas Party takes place this Saturday, 2 December, from 11:30am - 1:45pm, in the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre (Auckland Rooms 3 and 4). As well as meeting their celebrity heroes, the children will be entertained by a host of colourful characters including a juggler, stilt walker, face painter and Scholastic's 'Clifford The Big Red Dog.' Most importantly, the jolly red fellow, Mr Claus himself, will attend at 12:45pm with a sack full of gifts for the children.

In addition there will be party food and a piece of giant Christmas cake prepared by SKYCITY's catering.

SKYCITY has hosted the annual Kidz First Christmas Party for the past three years.

SKYCITY's General Manager, Communications, Megan McSweeney, says that the annual Christmas party is a way for SKYCITY to further support children and their families, some of whom meet daily challenges as a result of illness and injury.

"Christmas is such a special time for families. We're proud to be able to bring a smile to the faces of the many children who may have had a difficult year, and also to the families who support them," she says.

Executive Director of the South Auckland Health Foundation, Pam Tregonning, says it is wonderful to have the ongoing support of SKYCITY.

"We are so grateful to SKYCITY for helping to give Kidz First patients such a wonderful day. Enjoying an event as grand as the SKYCITY Christmas party can give them special memories to cherish."

SKYCITY is one of the founding sponsors of Kidz First Children's Hospital since the facility opened at Middlemore Hospital in 2000. SKYCITY is also the major sponsor of the Kidz First Children's Hospital Burns and Plastics Unit, which opened in 2001, offering specialist burns treatment for children throughout New Zealand.

- ends -

© Scoop Media