Starlight Children's Foundation Launches Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Campaign

The nonprofit rallies its community of supporters, including Mattel, the 501st Legion, and RSVLTS, to draw attention to the struggles of pediatric cancer patients and the need to support them and their families.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Starlight Children's Foundation is proud to announce the start of its Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) campaign, lasting the entire month of September. The initiative aims to draw support for programs and resources vital to the care and well-being of pediatric cancer patients across the country. Childhood cancer diagnoses have been on the rise across the U.S. for decades, and Starlight is working to make sure those patients experience some happiness during a difficult time. Drawing on its collaborators and partners, Starlight is working to raise awareness and funds to deliver programs – like Starlight Gaming, Starlight Hospital Gowns, Starlight Virtual Reality and Starlight Toy Deliveries – to its nationwide network of 724 hospitals.

"The only thing worse than being told you have cancer is being told your child has cancer. As an uncle to a young girl who courageously fought cancer, I know this firsthand. Childhood cancer is a long and daunting journey for the whole family that can be complex and challenging, both physically and emotionally," said Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children's Foundation. "At Starlight, we understand the power of play and its importance to childhood development, no matter where kids are. That's why we aim to improve the well-being of kids and families navigating cancer treatment through play-centered programs."

To kick off CCAM, Starlight rallied its community of Twitch streamers for a special Stream for Starlight "Press Start" event. The live-streamed event pressed start on an entire month of gaming, crafting, and much more from hundreds of content creators fundraising on Twitch.

RSVLTS, an apparel brand that brings popular movies, shows, artists, and sports brands to life through high-quality designs, is also supporting the CCAM effort. As part of the brand's commitment to support charitable causes, RSVLTS has partnered with Starlight and the 501st Legion, an international Star Wars costume club, to create a limited-edition Dark Side-themed shirt design. All sales of this shirt will benefit Starlight's mission to deliver happiness to hospitalized kids across the country.

This initiative aligns with the 501st Legion's continued fundraising efforts for Starlight, through which they have raised over $50,000 to deliver Starlight programs, including Star Wars-themed toy deliveries and character-themed hospital gowns, to children facing serious illness. The 501st Legion costuming group will host a Galaxy of Hope fundraiser starting September 27. The event aims to raise funds for Starlight programming through a 24-hour telethon.

The Mattel Children's Foundation continues its Play it Forward initiatives in support of Starlight's CCAM efforts by providing Brave Barbie dolls to the Starlight Families network. The donation-only doll is the first of its kind in the world, created exclusively for children experiencing difficult medical treatments. A Barbie specifically designed without hair, Brave Barbie helps to bring smiles to children who may experience hair loss due to cancer treatment.

Recognized as the country's broadest-reaching charity focused on sick kids, Starlight is integral to the total care of hospitalized kids. Starlight's vital programs are offered free of charge to pediatric facilities that are part of Starlight's healthcare network and utilized by healthcare professionals to distract and educate patients during challenging procedures and treatments, helping make their journey toward recovery a little brighter. To learn more about the CCAM campaign and show your support, visit www.starlight.org/ccam

About Starlight Children's Foundation
No matter the length, hospital stays can be lonely, stressful, and scary. That's why Starlight exists. Founded in 1982, Starlight Children's Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that aims to deliver happiness to hospitalized children and their families. Carefully crafted to address the unique needs of pediatric patients, Starlight's vital programs – including Starlight Gaming, Starlight Virtual Reality, Hospital Gowns, and Starlight Toy Deliveries – are donor-funded and offered free of charge to hospitals within its nationwide network to provide comfort, distraction, and a sense of normalcy to kids coping with hospitalization, procedures and treatments. The impact of these programs reaches even further to the families and caregivers, creating a supportive community that nurtures kids when they need it most. 
To learn more and to help Starlight deliver happiness to hospitalized kids, visit www.starlight.org and follow Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

SOURCE STARLIGHT CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION