This morning the Cashrewards team kick-started the day with a visit to the Starlight Express Room at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick, to recognise the first year anniversary since Cashrewards partnered with The Starlight Children’s Foundation to help brighten the lives of sick children.
The Starlight Express Rooms are located in hospitals all over Australia and are designed to be a place where the stress of life for these sick kids and their families is left outside the doors and where moments of fun and laughter are enjoyed. The rooms provide game consoles, DVDs to watch, face painting, craft and allows the kids to have a jam session with Captain Starlight, plus more activities to keep them entertained.
And for kids too sick to leave their bed? Well, Captain Starlight broadcasts a TV channel to their rooms where they can join in the fun as well as making bedside calls to brighten up their day!
The morning tea in the Starlight Express Room was a great way to meet the faces behind Starlight’s team at the Sydney Children’s Hospital and experience the room and what it has to offer. The team played games and momentarily forgot about their concerns and work schedules, proving that laughter is truly the best medicine – I mean who doesn’t love a good healthy scissors, paper, rock competition early in the morning? Who knew adults could get that competitive!
The Starlight Room relies on the generosity of donations made by the public and by companies with no further government funding. The morning tea was our opportunity to present a giant cheque for the sum of $69,175.89, money raised by Cashrewards and our members over the past twelve months.
The money raised was done through Cashrewards 1% pledge to Starlight which is a contribution of 1% of cashback payments, along with employee time and equity to help seriously ill children. Thanks to our members, we continue to support this great cause and are able to continue donating.
The pledge will help Captain Starlight and the Starlight Foundation stick to its mission statement which is “To brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families”. The money will go towards giving sick kids ongoing access to Starlight’s In-hospital Programs. Helping sick kids through the Foundation is a cause close to the hearts of Co-Founders Andrew and Lorica Clarke and this year alone Cashrewards has proudly been able to help over 1,700 children.
Who is Captain Starlight?
Captain Starlight is a superhero who lives and breathes fun and happiness. Whilst there are many Captain Starlights, their passion is to make kids forget about their troubles and do what makes them happy. Professionally trained to break down barriers and build relationships with kids through play, Captain Starlight ensures that happiness and fun are part of the kids’ road to recovery.
It was an eyeopener of a morning with an important takeaway message – keep the funds coming in as there’s no better cure for a sick child than making them laugh and smile whilst they soldier on with their treatment and recovery!
How you can help
Like any Not-For-Profit organisation, Starlight needs your help. If you would like to contribute to brightening the lives of sick kids, please click here to donate.
If you are unable to donate, we will gladly donate on your behalf as part of our ongoing support of Starlight. If you’re not already a member, simply join Cashrewards for free. By shopping as normal at your favourite stores with Cashrewards you’ll save with cashback on everything you buy plus you’ll help seriously ill kids and their families every time you shop.
Sick kids and their families couldn’t go through their treatment and recovery without the support of the Starlight Foundation and the wonderful heartfelt work they do. So to them, we say thank you!
Photo at top: (L to R) Captain Starlight, Lorica Clarke, Cashrewards CEO Andrew Clarke