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What is Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation's
mission?
We help seriously ill children and their families cope with
their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education
and family activities.
Why do families need Starlight Starbright?
When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition,
everyone in the family is affected. The kids, their parents
and siblings struggle, in different ways, to grapple with
the intrusion of illness or serious injury into their lives.
We understand what families go through when a child is sick,
and how important it is for families to find relief from
constant worry and isolation.
How does Starlight Starbright help?
Our entertainment, education and family activity programs
have been proven to distract children from their pain, help
them better understand and manage their illnesses, and connect
families facing similar challenges so that no one feels
alone.
What are the benefits of Starlight Starbright's programs?
Research studies conducted on select Starlight Starbright
programs indicate patient benefits such as:
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Reduction in pain and distress
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Greater willingness to return for treatment
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Increased sense of peer support
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Increased knowledge and sense of responsibility
for managing disease
-
Increased ability to cope with their disease
How and why was Starlight Starbright founded?
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation was formed in 2004
through the merger of The Starlight Children's Foundation
(founded in 1983) and the Starbright Foundation (founded in
1991). Starlight and Starbright were each co-founded by Peter
Samuelson (Starlight with actress Emma Samms and Starbright
with Steven Spielberg) to empower and improve the quality
of life for seriously ill children. Starlight fulfilled its
mission through high-touch events and hospital-based distractive
entertainment and Starbright through high-tech entertainment,
education and communication tools. Since the two organizations
shared a founder, core goals and served the same population,
they decided in 2004 to join forces as a unified organization.
Throughout our history, we have developed programs that offer
children ways to cope with the social, emotional and medical
aspects of serious illness as well as provide families with
a community of support and understanding. Through both national
programs and services delivered locally our programs touch
the lives of more than 400,000 children with chronic and life-threatening
medical conditions each year. In addition, we provide services
to those children's entire families, because we understand
that when a child has a serious illness, everyone in the family
is affected.
How is Starlight Starbright different from other children's
charities?
Few organizations provide children with strategies, programs
and services that enable them to cope with the challenging
daily demands of serious illness. Even fewer provide support
services that continue beyond hospital stays or one-time special
events, or extend to the family. Starlight Starbright provides
ongoing resources and a sense of community from the moment
of diagnosis throughout a family's journey through serious
illness. We serve seriously ill children and teens nationwide
regardless of disease or injury, gender, race, ethnicity,
or socio-economic status, as well as their family members
of all ages.
Reach - Each year we are able to touch the lives
of more than 400,000 children and families. We serve children
with life-altering conditions and injuries, including many
who have life-threatening illnesses.
Ongoing - We touch the life of a child and family
not once, but over and over again throughout the course
of the illness or injury and recovery - before, during and
after treatment.
Entire family - We support not just young patients,
but their parents and siblings as well.
High tech and high touch - Our programs blend entertainment,
education and family interaction. We are in the hospital,
in the community and online.
What are Starlight Starbright's sources of funding?
Starlight Starbright is able to serve thousands of seriously
ill children and their family members thanks to individual
and corporate donations, and community events.
What is the administrative costs of Starlight Starbright?
Less than 9 cents out of every dollar is spent on administration.
Is my financial contribution tax deductible to Starlight
Starbright?
Yes, your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent
of the law. Please consult your tax advisor for further information
regarding your individual situation. Starlight Starbright
Children's Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization.
Charity # 13129 5693 RR0001 The Starlight Starbright Children's
Foundation Canada has adopted Imagine Canada's Ethical
Fundraising & Financial Accountability Code and we are
committed to fundraising practices that respect donor's rights
to truthful information, privacy and managing responsibility
the funds that donors entrust to us.
Who is eligible to participate in Starlight Starbright
programs?
We serve seriously ill children and teens nationwide regardless
of gender, race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status.
Where does Starlight Starbright have offices?
The National office of the Starlight Starbright Children's
Foundation Canada is located in Toronto, with local offices
serving the regions of Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver. In
addition there are over 28 offices located throughout the
United States and affiliates in Australia, Japan and the United
Kingdom.
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