Starlight Foundation brings joy to sick children
With its NSW hub in North Sydney, the Starlight Children’s Foundation brings happiness and joy to seriously ill children across the country.
Starlight’s vision is ‘that everyone experiences a happy childhood because happiness matters’.
Chief executive officer Louise Baxter understands the impact a serious diagnosis can bring to children.
“Being diagnosed with a serious illness can change the course of a child’s life forever, but being sick shouldn’t mean missing out on the fun of childhood,” Louise says. “Starlight exists to brighten the lives of sick kids, turning pain and fear into fun, laughter and joy.”
To fulfil this purpose, Starlight provides moments of fun to seriously ill children in hospitals through the Captain Starlight program and the Starlight Express Room, which is a dedicated medical-free space in every children’s hospital around the country. In Sydney, there are two Starlight Express Rooms, one at Randwick Children’s Hospital and the other at Westmead Children’s Hospital.
Taylor Malpass learnt about Starlight’s programs after her five-year-old son Zack was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2023. Zack’s life was then consumed by hospitals and aggressive and invasive treatment, which often left him feeling sad, isolated and alone.
Those feelings changed when Captain Starlight started visiting Zack in hospital. Since then, the captain has been with Zack every step of the way helping to provide laughter and fun to keep his spirits high.
“Once he met Captain Starlight, Zack would come out of the hospital no longer talking about the horrible time he’d had. Instead, he’d talk about Captain Starlight and the fun they had together,” Taylor says.
Zack gets to have a break with Starlight
“Starlight creates the only happiness Zack gets in hospital. Knowing there’s a place he can have fun is huge. It allows him to just be a kid and to have a break from the tough treatment he endures. “The Starlight Express Room is Zack’s source of happiness in hospital. It’s important that places like these remain accessible to sick kids,” she adds.
Starlight expects to make around 1,400 monthly visits a year to Starlight Express Rooms at Randwick Children’s Hospital, and Captain Starlight will visit nearly 1,800 children each month.
The foundation also supports sick kids in local and regional hospitals through its virtual platform, Planet Starlight, which takes Captain Starlight into the virtual world for sick kids in need of happiness and positive distraction.
To support the program, donations can be made year-round or people can participate in fundraisers.
Louise says Starlight is encouraging the community to join its annual Tour de Kids 30-day virtual cycling challenge, which will start in September. Participants of all ages and abilities are encouraged to clock up kilometres on their bike and help raise money.
“We hope the community will hop on their bicycle to improve their own health and also change a child’s life,” says Louise.
To register your interest in joining the ride, visit tourdekids.org.au. To donate, visit starlight.org.au/donate