Help Starlight grant 200 Christmas wishes

­­­­­­­­This Christmas Starlight Children’s Foundation is appealing for help to raise $1.4 million to grant more than 200 life-changing Starlight Wishes for seriously ill kids and teens across Australia.

Starlight CEO, Louise Baxter, said: “This Christmas the Starlight Wish list is as long as it has ever been and demand continues to grow. A Starlight Wish is a dream come true for a sick child and their family, and we hope to give 200 families something positive to look forward to this festive season.”

Starlight child, Victoria Robinson, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour at the age of three and was granted her Starlight Wish to visit the snow for the first time with her family.  

Victoria’s parents, Wendy and Ken Robinson, said Victoria’s Starlight Wish was invaluable: “Victoria’s wish meant the world to her and us. It gave us time together as a family and brought some light into our lives after a difficult few years. Conquering the ski slopes also gave Victoria a new confidence to face treatment when she returned to hospital,” said Wendy Robinson.

Starlight grants about 500 unique Starlight Wishes each year, including travel wishes, hero wishes, experience wishes and gift wishes, all designed to promote wellbeing and increased happiness for the child or teen and their families.

This Christmas 17 Starlight ambassadors are lending their support to the appeal, including Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, former Australian test cricketer Michael Hussey, celebrity chefs George Calombaris, Hayden Quinn, Neil Perry and MasterChef runner-up Laura Cassai, and children’s entertainers Hi-5.

Melbourne Storm NRL player Billy Slater, Port Adelaide AFL player Cam O'Shea, pro-surfer Mick Fanning and former Olympic swimmers Kieran Perkins and Libby Trickett are also joining the cause, along with television presenters David Campbell and Darryl Brohman, Neighbours star Ryan Moloney, and Home and Away stars Kassandra Clementi and Philippa Northeast.

Starlight ambassador and celebrity chef, George Calombaris, said: “The effect Starlight Wishes have on sick kids, teens and their families is truly inspiring. This Christmas, I’m asking everyone to make a donation or fundraise for Starlight to make Christmas magical for every child.”

Anyone can help fulfil Starlight Wishes by making a donation to Starlight at www.starlightwish.org.au, or forming a team with friends, family or colleagues to fundraise as a group.

Starlight’s wishgranting program supports kids and teens with a wide range of illnesses and injuries, and demand for the program continues to grow.

This Christmas, Starlight is proudly supported nationally by Woolworths, Big W and Trade Secret.

To find out how you can help fulfil Starlight Wishes this Christmas, please call 1300 727 827 or visit www.starlightwish.org.au.

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:
Sarah Shields, Access PR, sarah@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7007 | 0408 283 091
Emma Reyes, Access PR, emmar@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7006 | 0424 425 813

About Starlight Children's Foundation
Starlight Children's Foundation brightens the lives of seriously ill children and their families, by replacing pain, fear and stress with fun, joy and laughter. Since its establishment in 1988, Starlight has expanded to become the broadest-reaching children’s charity in Australia, supporting sick kids regardless of illness, injury or age. Starlight’s programs are uniquely Australian and exist nowhere else in the world. There is a Starlight Express Room in every children’s hospital nationally and Starlight also supports teens through its Livewire program. Last year, Starlight supported nearly 136,000 seriously ill children and teenagers. www.starlight.org.au