Starlight Children’s Foundation lets kids forget their illnesses

When you have a child with a serious illness, your life is filled with hospital stays that are not only hard for your kid, but can take a toll on your whole family.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation helps bring joy to the lives of those families.

Cassidy Huff, 9, of Burien was born with a rare, genetic condition that has affected her spine.

“It looks like a snake,” she says.

She’s already had 25 surgeries and will have her next one in April. She has two metal rods in her back and every six months, she has to go into the hospital and get them stretched out so she can grow a bit each time.

All the surgeries and hospital stays aren’t easy, but Cassidy says the Starlight Children’s Foundation has given her a chance to do fun “kid” things with her family, like go to Great Wolf Lodge or the theater, and her favorite: summer camp.

“I don’t have to worry about the next hospital visit or surgery, or what I can and can’t do,” she says. “I can just focus on that particular (fun) thing.”

Starlight Northwest Executive Director Steve McGraw says the foundation helps seriously ill children and their families feel the joys of childhood and family that illness often takes away. It was started in 1983 by actress Emma Sams of Dynasty fame and her film producer cousin. They had a relative with cancer and were shocked to see what little entertainment the hospital offered.

“Back then, there was a TV bolted on the wall and that was about it,” he says. “Here were two successful people in the entertainment industry who said, ‘We can do a lot better than this.'”

Today, thanks to the Starlight Foundation, many hospitals have Fun Centers where kids can escape reality for a while and watch movies or play video games. But the focus is not just on the sick child. The organization also offers “Great Escapes,” a whole host of fun activities that are geared toward the entire family. Last year, Starlight NW served more than 7,500 kids and their families.

As a single parent, Cassidy’s mom, Shannon, says the foundation has given both her daughters experiences she couldn’t afford.

“Starlight has really changed our family dynamic in such a positive way,” she says. “It’s been amazing and my kids get to be kids.”

Cassidy also loves that she’s been able to meet other kids who can understand what she’s going through.

“We’ve learned to make lifelong friends,” she says.

On Feb. 26, the night of the Academy Awards, Starlight Northwest is hosting its annual gala event at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle.

You can enjoy a five-star dinner and bid on auction items to support Starlight’s programs. The emcee and auctioneer is 97.3 KIRO FM talk host John Curley.