Chinook Regional Hospital receives brightening donation
This month, Chinook Regional Hospital receives some much-needed distractive entertainment for their young visiting patients from Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada and the Ardene Foundation: a Starlight Fun Center®.
The Starlight Fun Center is a mobile entertainment unit featuring a flatscreen television and a Nintendo Switch gaming system preloaded with a wide variety of games for every kid, which is updated annually with new content. Internet-ready, the units allow children to stay in touch with their friends and family; while also enjoying their favourite movies, social media and much more.
48 Fun Centers will be delivered to children’s hospitals across Canada before the end of 2021
Specifically manufactured to meet strict infection safety protocols, Gaming stations can roll anywhere in the hospital and keep kids entertained and distracted during longer stays, which has become incredibly important, as many children’s playrooms have closed due to COVID-19. The Ardene Foundation joins an impressive list of generous Canadian sponsors to make these donations happen, empowering seriously ill children who may be limited to their hospital bed to take their mind off being sick, and focus on having fun.
“It is always rewarding to see the impact initiatives like Starlight Fun Centers have on the emotional well-being of families who are going through some of the toughest times of their lives,” says Starlight Canada CEO Brian Bringolf. “We constantly look for new ways to make life just a little bit easier for both sick children and their families, and are so grateful to have the support of such generous sponsors to make these programs a reality.”
“The impact Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada has on the lives of sick children is so inspiring, and we’re happy to have been part of the journey for more than 5 years now,” says the Ardene Foundation. “By volunteering, fundraising, and making donations from our foundation, we’ve had the opportunity to help make a difference and see the smiles on these children’s faces. We’re always looking for ways to give back, especially during the pandemic, when children and families need even more special care and attention.”
For over 30 years, Starlight Canada has provided sick children and their families with distractive entertainment both in and out-of-hospital. In the wake of COVID-19, the organization quickly innovated to provide specific comfort programming such as COVID-19 Family Relief Packs (offering essentials for the entire family, such as clothing, toys, cosmetics, blankets, books, and more), Play From Hospital To Home Packs (containing board games, crafts, and tons of other interactive activities) and multitudes of other online entertainment. These initiatives add to their traditional programming, which includes the Starlight Tablet Program, Starlight Day Brightener Wishes, Starlight Great Escapes® and many others.