Our amazing volunteers share Wish Week stories

Wish Week is when we bring Starlight families around Australia together for a special group holiday! Life-long friendships are made, and families get to connect with others experiencing similar situations.

Every Wish Week, a dedicated team of volunteers is on hand to make sure families have the best possible experience.

Thank you to Colin, David, Ellie, Hien, Kate, Makayla, and Tanzia for volunteering this year!

Colin, David, Ellie, and Hien shared their Wish Week experience with us.

COLIN

Wish Week is a time when families with seriously ill children come together for a break. They always seem to leave as a single family with children who have forgotten their illness for a while, after an amazing week of unforgettable adventures which bring them all together.

This was my eighth Wish Week! We’re there to do whatever helps the families relax. At the theme parks this might mean taking kids on rides if the parents don’t want to, or looking after their bags so they can enjoy rides as a family. We guide them through the day, so they have nothing to worry about.

I love seeing how much everyone is willing to go out of their way to help the families have the best possible experience.

I’ve seen Movie World characters go above and beyond for the kids who are in awe, breakfast at Seaworld with a private dolphin show is a favourite, the private animal encounters at Dreamworld where the staff are amazing, coaches from Surfing Australia getting kids who have never seen the ocean before up on surfboards. Or sometimes it’s as simple as taking a photo for a family who have never had a photo taken altogether before.

We had a mother comment one year that her child experienced regular seizures and didn’t have a single one during Wish Week.

David

My role was to provide support to assigned families and escort them around the theme parks, helping them plan their day and get the most enjoyment out of the visits. I help create the sense of excitement and I offer an extra pair of hands, eyes and ears to navigate the day with minimal stress.

For many families, it’s their first visit to the Gold Coast so local assistance enriches the experience. Also some large families, or those with special needs or one parent really appreciate the extra support.

I love seeing the families have an amazing experience and expressing their gratitude for the support provided. It gives you the warm and fuzzies and you know you’ve made a positive impact.

This year was my fifth Wish Week. I’d say my favourite Wish Week memory would be the two flash mobs I lead at Movie World lunchtimes. One to Nutbush and one to Cotton Eyed Joe – all the families took part!

Ellie

As a volunteer, Wish Week is a week of fun, connection, and happiness. Vollies play a vital part, it’s our role to ensure the families have the best possible experience! So, we attend the theme parks, go on rides, help direct families, answer questions or concerns, get them to shows and just be that experienced theme park helper.

I really do cherish the special memories of Wish Week, and I enjoy making a difference to the children’s lives.

We connect with the children and their families, being bubbly and fun! I went on rides with the Wish child and their siblings, took photos for the family, helped them around the park and danced to Wiggles songs at a live show!

Hien

This was my ninth Wish Week! I make sure to lock the dates in at the start of the year. It’s truly a magical week for everyone involved. It’s incredible to know that you played a part in the magic of granting a Starlight Wish for an amazing Wish Child and their family.

I’ll do everything to ensure they have the ‘bestest’ time possible… taking all the photos, looking after their luggage and being a theme park problem solver.

This year, I was looking after a family at the theme park and was the bags and personal belongings minder extraordinaire! I told them first thing in the day that this is their family holiday.

If you’d love to be a Wish Week volunteer, please email us at volunteering@starlight.org.au.