Starlight Day at Royal Darwin Hospital with animal guests, as new fundraising appeal begins
Children at RDH got a treat as Territory Wildlife Park brought in native animals for Starlight Day, as the children’s foundation launches a new fundraising appeal. WATCH THE VIDEO.
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Children being treated at the Royal Darwin Hospital were joined by special animal guests, as part of Starlight Day festivities.
Starlight Day, which took place on Tuesday, marks the launch of a new fundraising appeal by Starlight Children’s Foundation, which is hoping to raise $1.3m by the end of June.
Money raised will go towards Starlight Express Rooms, which are set up in hospitals across the country.
At the RDH, the Starlight Express Room is open to children from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Activities in the room include arts and crafts, video games and movies.
Dakota Danks-Grant, 9, comes to the room every day after school, and has been in and out of hospital for three months with a persistent ear infection.
“I like Starlight because I get to do arts and crafts, and I just like being in here,” she said.
Mum Amy Danks said Dakota rushes from school every day to get to Starlight, even on days when she doesn’t have to be in the hospital for treatment.
Ms Danks said even though Starlight didn’t run on weekends, Dakota would get to take games home with her to keep her entertained.
In celebration of Starlight Day, Territory Wildlife Park brought in a white python and a native rat for the kids to hold.
An important part of Starlight is the Captains, performers and entertainers who work with the children every day.
Captain Frost, who spends four days a week in the RDH visiting the wards and being in the Starlight Express Room, said he’d always loved performing, and wanted to do his part make a positive difference in the children’s lives.
“I think the best is just the small actions you do that make a difference,” he said.
“Whether it’s doing a bit of face painting or playing Mario Kart or something, you think it’s such a small thing.”
“ But then you see it on a larger scale and you see the joy that it brings people and the families and just the distraction from life and hospital.”
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Originally published as Starlight Day at Royal Darwin Hospital with animal guests, as new fundraising appeal begins
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