Four-year-old Zachary Hammond was born into a Gold Coast SUNS family, signed up as a 2010 Foundation Member at birth.
Like the majority of GC SUNS fans his age, Zach absolutely loves Gary Ablett and is a huge fan of the club mascot Sunny Ray.
Unfortunately he also suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, described as the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children.
Earlier this week, Zach underwent a procedure that confined him to a hospital bed and it was a battle for his parents, Paul and Heidi, to keep the four-year-old’s spirits high.
“Zach is doing it a bit tough at the moment at Gold Coast University Hospital,” his father Paul Hammond told the GC SUNS membership team.
Zach Hammond at Gold Coast University Hospital.
“Thankfully he is now settling and adjusting to his hospital visit and we wanted to ask the SUNS a HUGE favour that would help lift his spirits even more!
“We were hoping that Sunny Ray might still be on the Gold Coast and available to pop by and say hello to Zach to help lift his spirits.”
As luck would have it, there was an opening in Sunny Ray’s busy schedule on Friday morning to visit Zach at Gold Coast University Hospital.
When Sunny entered the room, Zach was beaming with delight and was quick to invite the GC SUNS mascot on a tour of the hospital.
An excited Zach giving Sunny Ray a tour of hospital facilities.
GC SUNS Membership Administrator, Matt Diedrich, attended the hospital with Sunny Ray and spoke with goldcoastfc.com.au about the experience.
“The look on Zach’s face was unforgettable; it was really nice to see. He had lots of energy, running around, showing Sunny all the hospital facilities,” he said.
“Zach’s parents said he was quite shy and reserved but as soon as Sunny popped into the room, he was up and about so that was really pleasing.”
Zach wasn’t the only child to benefit from Sunny Ray’s visit, with assorted GC SUNS gifts and merchandise to be distributed to children at the university hospital.
“We left a couple of backpacks, a few footballs and giveaways (for the other kids in the hospital) for the staff to hand out,” Diedrich said.
“Sunny Ray was a busy man handing out giveaways and high-fives to the other kids. It’s obviously a tough period in their lives so to help put a smile on their faces was very pleasing.”
