IN the innocent minds of these little ones, there is nothing particularly different about their cheeky friend Ayden Bird.
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But the children of Laurieton Early Education Centre are well-aware he is sick and could be staying in hospital for quite some time.
They know he loves yellow and his favourite toy is Bumblebee the popular Transformer action figure loved by little boys all over the world.
Most of them, however, would be too young to comprehend this five-year-old is desperately fighting to stay alive.
Last week the Port News reported Ayden had come close to losing his life after an internal rupture left him bleeding for 36 hours straight.
He suffers from Biliary Artresia, a rare disease which has slowly destroyed his tiny liver.
In the past few weeks, Ayden's condition has rapidly deteriorated and the need for a new liver has never been more urgent.
Ayden and his mother Jodi Pointon, are living at the Westmead Children's Hospital until a donor can be found.
To support them and raise awareness for organ donation, the kiddies of the Laurieton Early Education Centre will be wearing yellow for the week.
The centre's Julie Davis said the children were learning about their bodies and speaking about Ayden's journey: "Ayden's just normal to them," Ms Davis said. "He shows off the little scar on his belly and says it's from a shark bite and he definitely holds his own."
Ayden's absence, she said, was tangible at the centre.
"We're missing him and his cheekiness," Ms Davis said. "He never let his illness get him down, he's always just enjoyed doing what he does."
A group of smiling faces and fidgeting busy bodies had a special message for their friend: "get better soon" and "we miss you".
"We just want to show our support for the family," Ms Davis said. "We also want to encourage people who want to know more about organ donation to get involved."
Ayden's cousin has established a trust fund for those who would like to help cover his ongoing medical costs under: BSB: 012-714, Account Number 283771496, ITF Ayden Bird ANZ Bank.
