Jay's story

I became a Starlight volunteer because of my history with Starlight as a child. Going to the Starlight Express Room at Princess Margaret Hospital was the only thing I looked forward to when going to appointments and during long hospital stays.

I decided the moment I left hospital that I'd try to give other children the positive experiences that Starlight gave me.

The recruitment process was awesome! Everyone involved was and is amazing. I did have to get a few jabs (ouch!) but there was also pizza for intro night so all is forgiven. I found the overall onboarding process enjoyable. I also liked Starlight's strong emphasis on making the program as safe and enjoyable as possible by providing volunteers with not only thorough training, but also ongoing support.

A typical day as a Starlight volunteer involves such a mix of activities. I could be playing Mario Kart one minute and the next, I'll be in the arts and crafts room making something that usually involves glitter... a lot of glitter! I'd then move on to playing card games, learning the sacred art of balloon animals and maybe even getting to go live on air for Starlight TV ("Whose poo are you?" is one of my personal favourites). Every shift is different but just as good as the previous one.

The best thing about the role is being able to help wonderful kids through an otherwise hard experience.

If you’re considering a volunteer role with Starlight, do it!! You will not regret it. It really is an incredibly fulfilling and fun experience. I love every moment I spend at Starlight and I’d like to thank the entire team for being every bit as awesome as I thought they would be.