Mix 102.3’s Max & Ali give little Jada the ultimate birthday surprise

This week on Mix102.3’s Max & Ali in the Morning, Jada, who’s just turned 7, was left overwhelmed when the Breakfast team presented her with several birthday surprises after finding out that she has grown up without a true childhood.

Concerned about Jada’s lack of interaction with children her own age at school and the fact that she’s never had a birthday party, Jada’s mum Jess, who lives in the Adelaide Hills, reached out to Max and Ali to see if they could help pull off an incredible birthday experience for her little girl.

In 2019, when Jada was two, Jess – a single mum of three – was diagnosed with a rare brain injury, which has led to four brain surgeries and getting a shunt inserted into her brain.

There’s also tubing in her stomach, where risks include blindness, debilitating headaches and nausea.

As a result, Jada hasn’t grown up like a typical child and has instead watched her mum go in and out of hospital – not knowing if the next operation would work or not – and has never had a proper birthday party.

Jada loves the beach, Barbies, watching Disney movies, makeup, and sparkly nails. She’s also been pestering her mum for a haircut.

Jess wrote to the team at Mix102.3 as part of the  Max & Ali to the Rescue segment, saying  “Unfortunately, I do not have a magic wand to make this all possible as my finances just don’t allow me to. My anxiety levels are high and as a parent you just want to fix everything for your kids, so this is why I have ended up in your inbox, hoping for you to sprinkle some of your magic Jada’s way (and my way).”

Her prayers were answered, and yesterday morning, little Jada was surprised with a range of birthday gifts, including:

• Singing happy birthday: Jada got to go into the studio with her whole family, with everyone joining in to sing her happy birthday, where she blew out candles on a Barbie cake

• Toymate at Westfield Marion gave Jada 102 seconds to run around the store and grab as many toys as possible

• Dream Cuts at Westfield Marion gifted Jada ashampoo, cut, blow-dry and hair styling session PLUS a flute of sparkling pink lemonade, fingernail nail polish, and a spa pedicure

• Stamford Grand Adelaide gifted two rooms for one night with breakfast included

• Beachouse gifted unlimited use of its waterslides, dodgem cars, bumper boats, mini golf, arcade games, and the carousel for two whole hours.