Smiles all round this Starlight Day

This Starlight Day, Friday 6 May, Starlight Children’s Foundation needs your help to raise

$1.3 million to brighten the lives of more than 33,000 seriously ill children and their

families around Australia.

As Starlight’s biggest annual fundraising event, Starlight Day aims to raise much-needed

funds to support sick kids through its uniquely Australian hospital programs - the

Starlight Express Room and Captain Starlight.

Anyone can make donation or buy Starlight merchandise from one of more than 2,000

Starlight volunteers hitting the streets on Starlight Day in shopping centres, central

business districts and train stations across the country.

Starlight CEO Louise Baxter said: “We know hospitals can be a scary place for a seriously

ill child, so Starlight’s aim is to brighten the experience by replacing their pain, fear and

stress with fun, joy and laughter.

“In 2014 more than one million seriously ill children, including inpatient and outpatients,

were entertained by Captain Starlight through the Starlight Express Rooms at The

Children’s Hospital at Westmead and The Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick.

“We need the support of the community more than ever before. Demand for our

programs continues to increase and we need to open four new Starlight Express Rooms

nationally including a new Starlight Express Room at The Sydney Children’s Hospital at

Randwick which is due to open later this year.”

Starlight also recently refurbished its Starlight Express Room at The Children’s Hospital

at Westmead.

This year Starlight is encouraging individuals, corporations, universities and community

groups to get take part by hosting a Star-BQ - a fundraising barbeque for Starlight

anytime during May or June.

Starlight ambassador and food personality, Hayden Quinn, experienced Starlight

programs as a child when his sister Maddie was seriously ill and receiving treatment at

Randwick Children’s Hospital. Hayden said: “I’ve seen first-hand the amazing work

Starlight does and how its programs can brighten the lives not only of sick kids but of

their families too.

“I’m urging everyone to pick up the tongs and register and throw a Star-BQ with friends

and family to help Starlight lift the spirits of deserving kids and families in hospital.”

Starlight Day is generously supported nationally by EB Games and Big W, and is

endorsed by Starlight’s celebrity chef ambassadors and foodies including Hayden

Quinn, Neil Perry and Herb Faust.

With a Starlight Express Room in every children’s hospital in Australia and 120 Captain

Starlights nationally, every child admitted to hospital, regardless of their illness or injury,

can access the Starlight Express Room and Captain Starlight programs with their family.

Starlight relies solely on the donations of the community to deliver and evolve its

innovative and uniquely Australian hospital programs, which were developed to

complement the Australian healthcare system.

For more information on how to register a Star-BQ or to make a donation, please visit

www.starlight.org.au, or join the conversation online using #starlightday #snagasmile.

– ENDS –

Samantha Boyd, Access PR | samb@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7013 | 0414 408 198

Laura Minns, Access PR | laura@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7002 | 0431 375 990

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 120 Captain

Starlights nationwide. This year Starlight will build four new Starlight Express 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 506 life-changing wishes and

supported more than 185,000 sick kids and their families. www.starlight.org.au