By TANIA PHILLIPS
Pic 1: Spida meets up with Paul Green at the Salt IGA. Paul has spent thousands of dollars travelling to Sydney to be with his wife and young daughter but he and his staff still raised money to help the radio personality in his quest to raise $30,000 for a travel incubator – a quest close to their heart.
Pic 2: Julian Gleak of Kingscliff Sales and Rental hands over money raised by him and his co-workers that morning.
Pic 3: Josie and her staff at the Beach Shack in Kingscliff made a donation and provided Spida with his coffee when he headed into town last week.
Pic 4: Rotary members Jayne Henry and Nathan Williams of Kingscliff Rotary add the club’s financial support to the cause.
Pic 5: Willy Kluska of Pizza Capers Kingscliff supplies Spida and his crew with a breakfast pizza during his bike ride.
Pic 6: Tim of Watersports Gurus escorts Spida and Terry Bosworth of Storm Cycles (who provided Spida with the bike and accompanied him on the ride) from Kingscliff to Salt.
Pic 7: Spida arrives in Kingscliff.
TINY Tweed Coaster Matilda Green has spent almost her entire 16-17 weeks of life in an incubator in Sydney but thanks to former AFL footballer Spida Everitt others like her may not.
Matilda is the first child of Salt IGA manager Paul Green and his wife Juliet and so when Paul heard that former AFL footballer turned radio personality Spida Everitt was raising money to buy a Transport incubator V808 he knew he had to help out.
“There not cheap things I can tell you now,” Paul said as he shook Spida’s hand outside the IGA on Thursday.
“They’re $30,000,” Spida said.
“It’s a really important thing though,” Paul added.
And he should know – little Matilda – born at just 24 weeks has spent her whole life in one and he admitted probably wouldn’t be there without the equipment.
“We were called to Sydney because Jules’ mum was sick,” Paul said, adding that his mother-in-law subsequently passed away.
“Because Jule’s had six miscarriages she had to take blood thinners so we couldn’t fly so we had to drive down. On the Wednesday we were in Marylands and Jules had pains in the stomach – because of the previous problems we didn’t take any chances so we took her straight up and she was ready to deliver. So at 7.53pm she was born – 16 weeks tonight (he said last Thursday). She was born on 21 February and she was due on the fifth of June.
“It has been an absolute nightmare – she was 790 grams – she’s the youngest born in Westmead this year.
“We are hoping to get her home soon.”
Big Spida, a father himself, was visibly touched by the story and obviously used it for the next leg of his trip – from Kingscliff back to Broadbeach and then up Mt Tamborine.
He raised the $30,746 to buy the incubator during the two-day bike rides including $1710.95 during his detour down onto the Tweed.
Spida was given a hero’s welcome as he cycled into Kingscliff – with many business owners and service groups quick to come out and support the crew.
Spida’s radio station – Gold FM hold a “Give Me Five for Kids” month each year raising money for equipment for the children’s departments at the Gold Coast and Tweed Hospitals. The incubator can now be purchased but the station is now trying to raise money for a Fetal Monitor – priced at $14,038.70.
The station is still taking donations and all the details are up on their website.
