A nine-year-old Fletcher boy who survived cancer as a baby has raised more than $6500 to fund superhero T-shirts for kids at John Hunter Children's Hospital.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Isaac Jiear, a year 4 student, said he raised the money to "help bring strength to sick kids".
The T-shirts, known as Supertees, are specially designed medical garments with a superhero theme.
Isaac raised enough money to fund 130 Supertees. He presented them to the hospital on Friday morning.
Part of his reason for doing so was that he had a stomach tumour removed at the hospital.
"I wanted to do something to say thanks," he said.
Mum Sara Jiear said Isaac was diagnosed and had his surgery just before Christmas in 2014.
"They warned us he might spend his first Christmas in hospital, which thankfully he didn't," Ms Jiear said.
"This time of year, it's always at the forefront of our minds. We do a big Christmas party on the first weekend of December.
"That's what we did the year he was diagnosed in case he was in hospital, so we carry on that tradition."
Dad Andrew Jiear said the family had previously raised money for cancer research.
"We only told him this year what had happened," Mr Jiear said.
His parents told him how they raise money for charities to give back. This time, they suggested he might like to choose a charity.
"We gave him a few options and the Supertees resonated with him. He wanted to give something to the kids to directly benefit them," he said.
Ms Jiear added that the Supertees were "something tangible for him".
"He liked the idea that kids in hospital for Christmas wouldn't have to wear boring hospital gowns, as he calls them."
Mr Jiear said Isaac "likes to say he's a survivor".
"He likes to show you can come out the other side," he said.
"And we always say if you donate money to charities for research, it does work. He is here and alive.
"That's because of people who came before us and those who donated money to fund research."
Isaac, who will play in the under-12 Newcastle Falcons basketball team next season, liked the Supertee T-shirts because "they're based on Captain America and Captain Marvel".
Isaac was also impressed that the Supertees have openings, so nurses can take kids' temperature and insert tubes when needed.
Supertee chief executive Jason Sotiris devised the Supertee concept when his daughter Angela was in hospital at 12 months old with a rare form of cancer.
"I felt helpless not being able to do the simple task of putting clean clothes on her with IV drips and chest monitor cables," the former tradie said.
The medical garment has studs and velcro for easy access.
About 8000 Supertees were given to sick children in Australian hospitals this year.
Mr Sotiris aims to provide a Supertee to every sick child when needed.
