Every day we draw inspiration from the strength of the thousands of children and young people living with chronic medical conditions and physical disabilities. While their medical and emotional needs may be complex, their biggest challenge can be to simply feel ‘normal’ and enjoy ‘normal’ childhood experiences. ‘Ordinary’ is something these kids and their families can only dream about – for them, ‘ordinary’ is ‘extraordinary’.
At Starlight we are all deeply passionate about achieving the best outcomes for kids
and their families. This underpins our every decision. When there is a complicated issue to resolve Starlight has only one criteria: what is in the best interest of the children? By delivering the best programs possible, that are meaningful and relevant, we are being true to our mission and values. To achieve continual improvement, we listen to our stakeholders, adapting to changing environments and healthcare needs.
Each year there are over 600,000 child admissions to hospitals in Australia, of which, Starlight programs currently only reach “1 in 3”. Our ultimate goal is to enable every seriously ill and hospitalised child and family in Australia to access our programs and services, everywhere and every day.
Currently, we are well on the way to making this a reality and the following report features many of Starlight’s recent achievements.
In 2007 we extended our reach into the homes of 10-18 year olds living with illness or disability, with the pilot launch of Livewire, our online program focused on connecting kids to each other and the outside world. We also established a permanent presence in the Northern Territory with Captain Starlight now regularly visiting hospitalised children and remote, Indigenous communities.
To ensure we can meet future demand with the most relevant programs, we completed a comprehensive ‘Needs Analysis’ research study with families of children who are seriously ill or living with a disability, with a particular focus in metropolitan, regional, rural and Indigenous communities. By understanding their needs and challenges, and the impact our programs have, we can plan most effectively for the future.
In the coming years our focus will be on ensuring Starlight is well positioned to support children and their families alongside the healthcare system. We will focus on evolving our program strategy to embrace learnings from our Needs Analysis study and ongoing program evaluation. By introducing the most efficient systems, investing in development initiatives for our team, and by continuing to work closely with our valued supporters, including our donors and volunteers, we can be sure that their Starlight experience is positive and enriching.
Starlight’s programs significantly enhance the wellbeing of a child throughout their illness, which is often over many years. There is still a long way to go to reach our goals and we can’t do it without your support. The incredible efforts and generosity of our team, volunteers, supporters and partners is having a resounding impact on these brave kids and their families.
Thank you for your dedication and commitment. It is due to the generosity of people like you that we can provide vital support to seriously ill children, young people and their families right across Australia.
We look forward to working together to achieve our ultimate aim – every family, everywhere, every day.
Jill Weekes
Chief Executive Officer
Starlight Children’s Foundation
