Grantee: Starlight Children’s Foundation
Grant Program: Community Grants 2025
Project: 2 portable gaming devices for the pediatric department of Lions Gate Hospital
Funded by: Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund
About Starlight:
For over 30 years, Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada’s mission has been to support the mental health and emotional well-being of Canadian families with seriously ill children through a unique blend of hospital-to-home programs.
Having a child living with a serious illness or facing hospitalization can bring on overwhelming feelings of stress, anxiety, fear, worry, and a loss of control for the whole family. For children and teens missing basic experiences due to health issues, these mental challenges can be even more difficult to understand, convey, and cope with.
Starlight Canada’s programs provide emotional relief to Canadian families with critically or chronically ill children aged 0-18 – from hospital to home. Through needs-based programs, Starlight Canada spreads joy, laughter, and relief to seriously ill kids and teens across Canada.
Project:
2 portable gaming device systems were given to the pediatric department of Lions Gate Hospital on November 18, 2025. The gaming device encourages play, reduces stress, and empowers kids. Designed for easy mobility, healthcare professionals now have the tool and flexibility to add joy and comfort to their care plan. Intended for more than just fun, the Starlight Handheld is created for mental well-being.
On average, a single device reaches more than 2,190 patients per year. Studies show that play promotes beneficial coping responses in hospitalized and ill children as they endure high medical stressors.
