Starlight Children's Foundation

[Storyteller.]

Starlight Children's Foundation
By Katrina (AppleTini)

If there's one thing I've noticed about people in general, it's that so many of us seem to have a heart for helping children. No matter what sex, color, religion, orientation, or anything else we may be, a common goal seems to be to empower the leaders of tomorrow to reach their goals and dreams. For some children, reaching goals and catching dreams may be more difficult than it is for others. The Starlight Children's Foundation, for more than twenty-five years, has been helping children diagnosed with serious illnesses to achieve their goals and enjoy their childhoods despite their diagnosis.

"Our programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, help them better understand and manage their illnesses, and connect families with others facing similar challenges so that no one feels alone."

Starlight offers several different programs that indeed do help children to focus their energy on the positive aspects in life and the joys of childhood! Starlight offers families and children a way to get out of the hospital for awhile and go on peaceful and relaxing outings. It offers educational technology to older children so they can stay up-to-date with their schooling while in the hospital, and fun computer-based learning games for younger children to prepare them for school if they are able to go back. This organization also sets up online communities, so that teenagers are able to safely connect with others going through the same thing. Finally, Starlight offers simple methods to help children and adolescents learn about their conditions without feeling overwhelmed.

Starlight has a number of different volunteering opportunities, so if you'd like to get involved and you have a heart for helping children, you can help! For more information on how to get involved with the wonders that Starlight Children's Foundation is doing, please visit www.starlight.org.