11-year-old Abby has spent her whole life undergoing treatment for a congenital heart defect, after suddenly turning blue at just two weeks old.

Flown to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital from her family’s home state, Abby would remain there for months, undergoing two open heart surgeries, fighting off sepsis, and spending her first Christmas on a ventilator in intensive care.

Since then, Abby has required regular treatments in hospital, and long periods of isolation to avoid the risk of infection.

Throughout her lifetime of hospitalisations and treatments, Captain Starlight has been there to help Abby to cope with the fear and stress of her condition.

Abby struggles with anxiety and becomes tired easily because of her heart condition. She wishes she could be more like her friends, who don’t have to face the constant hospitalisations, tests and appointments that she does.

Despite everything she goes through however, Abby is extremely outgoing and loves piano, jazz, tap and ballet.

She discovered her love of performing through her interactions with Captain Starlight and loves to perform on Starlight TV, helping to entertain other kids in the hospital. Singing and playing music with Captain Starlight helps shift her focus away from her illness.

In 2019, Abby’s lifelong dream of singing at the Sydney Opera House came true though her amazing Starlight Wish.

Taking to the Opera House stage, and backed by an orchestra and a choir, Abby kicked off her very own one-woman show with the ultimate show tune, ‘This Is Me’. An amazing concert followed complete with three costume changes and a selection of crowd-pleasing tunes including songs from Annie, Mary Poppins and Frozen. Accompanied by her close friend Captain Starlight, it was a day Abby will certainly never forget.