Starlight needs your help ACT!

Starlight Children’s Foundation is urgently calling for local support to help grant a very special Starlight Wish in Canberra.

Starlight is working to make a Starlight Wish come true for 19-year-old Canberra resident and aspiring Auto Mechanics apprentice Kristopher (Kris) Davis by restoring his much-loved 1982 Holden WB One Tonner Ute.

Initially a passion-project, budding mechanic Kris purchased the run-down muscle car to rebuild with his Dad, Craig, older brother, Jonathon and mates. In February this year, Kris was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a cancer affecting his blood and bone marrow, and his car restoration has since been on hold while he focused on getting better at Canberra Hospital.

“I love tinkering with cars and growing up, always wanted to build my own car.   One day I hope to be a diesel mechanic. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get started,” said Kris.

“After falling sick earlier this year, my plans came to a standstill, but the dream never fades. It’s incredible to think, after being sick for most of this year, Starlight is making my wish come true and helping me finish what I started.”

A Starlight Wish is a dream come true for a wish recipient and their family, giving them something positive to look forward to during treatment.

To complete Kris’ Starlight Wish, Starlight is looking for local Canberra-based supporters to help with the supply and installation of:

·         a new motor or motor and gearbox upgrade

·         re-wiring throughout the car

·         fitting of a new statesman front end

·         a reverse cowl bonnet scoop

·         re-upholstery

·         Simmons Rims

·         timber tray

“I’d love to have ‘Starlight’ stitched onto the glovebox as a reminder of this incredible experience. Once my car is restored, I want to enter it into car competitions around the country to raise money to help others going through a tough time,” Kris said.

Starlight volunteer and former Starball Canberra Committee Chair, Margaret Job, is confident the tight-knit Canberra community will get behind Kris and help bring his Starlight Wish to life.

“We’re calling for the people of Canberra to help us by providing parts and skilled labour support such as panel beaters, mechanics, auto-electricians and reupholsters. Every little bit will help.

“Each Starlight Wish is unique, with the wish recipient choosing their own special experience. Sharing in a life-changing Starlight Wish not only lifts the spirit of the recipient, but it brings the entire family together for much-needed distraction from the stresses they’ve experienced from hospitalisation and treatment,” she said.

Starlight’s Wishgranting program supports children, adolescents and young people (up to 22 years old), who have a wide range of illnesses and injuries.

Each week about 12 new children, adolescents or young people are referred for a Starlight Wish by a health professional, and since its establishment in Australia in 1988, Starlight has fulfilled more than 9,400 wishes.

This year Starlight aims to grant 550 Starlight Wishes just like Kris’. Starlight receives no government funding and relies solely on the support of the community to deliver its Wishgranting program.

Local businesses who can pledge their support by providing parts and skilled labour can visit https://starlight.org.au/what-we-do/our-stories/kids-teens/kris-story or contact Charlotte Barry on charlotte.barry@starlight.org.au or (02) 8425 5983.

-ENDS-

 

For more information, please contact:                                    

Laura Minns, Access | laura@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7002 | 0431 375 990
Rachael Ryan, Access | rachaelr@accesspr.com.au | 02 9292 7005 | 0406 484 929     

 

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 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