New Starlight Express Room to support sick kids and teens in Queensland
Announcement posted by Access Public Relations 26 Mar 2015
Starlight Express Room opens at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital
Starlight Children’s Foundation is today celebrating the official opening of a new purpose-built Starlight Express Room at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, which will brighten the lives of seriously ill children and teens.
The ultramodern Starlight Express Room is a medical-free space where Captain Starlight, delivers fun, joy and laughter via distractive therapies to sick kids and their families who need a break from the relentless cycle of medical treatment and procedures.
Starlight Chief Executive Officer Louise Baxter said: “We are thrilled that the new state-of-the-art Starlight Express Room will provide support for the 376,000 children visiting Lady Cilento’s Children’s Hospital this year alone.
“It’s a warm and welcoming place for children and their families to play and interact with Captain Starlight and enjoy much-needed time together during treatment, helping to lift their spirits when they need it most.”
Open seven days a week, the new space was designed using the findings of the latest research on the impact of architecture, interior design and lighting on the health and wellbeing of children in hospital. The colour scheme and fittings reflect natural colours and themes to provide a friendly and flexible environment that supports play and entertainment, as well as relaxation.
The Starlight Express Room at the Lady Cilento Children’s hospital is proudly supported by three Foundation Partners delivering long-term support: Golden Casket, the Stan and Maureen Duke Foundation, and Motorama Group.
Lotteries Chief Operating Officer Sue van der Merwe said Golden Casket is very proud to be a Foundation Partner of the new Starlight Express Room at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.
“Golden Casket has a long history of supporting Starlight in its work brightening the lives of sick kids. We are delighted to continue our support of Starlight as a Foundation Partner of the new Starlight Express Room and supporter of its core hospital programs.”
The opening celebrations will be attended by Starlight ambassadors Mick Fanning and Libby Trickett and Starlight luminary Kieren Perkins.
Starlight’s innovative Starlight Express Rooms and Captain Starlight hospital programs are founded on leading Positive Psychology principles and provide more than 500 hours of entertainment and distraction therapy each week.
There is now a Starlight Express Room in every children’s hospital in Australia and more than 100 Captain Starlights nationwide. This project is the first step in the next stage of the program expansion in 2015.
Supporting sick kids regardless of illness, injury or age, Starlight’s hospital programs are uniquely Australian.
To find out more or make a donation, please phone 1300 727 827 or visit www.starlight.org.au.
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. There is now a Starlight Express Room in every children’s hospital in the country and more than 100 Captain Starlights nationwide. This year the Starlight Express Room program is expanding with construction of several new Starlight Express Rooms and refurbishment of existing rooms. Supporting sick kids regardless of illness, injury or age, Starlight’s hospital programs are uniquely Australian and exist nowhere else in the world. Last year, Starlight granted 496 life-changing wishes and supported more than 145,000 sick kids and their families. www.starlight.org.au