2025 Starlight Annual Report
Happiness is Essential to Care
A Message from Adam Garone, CEO Starlight Children’s Foundation
Moments of play and happiness are essential to the care of seriously ill kids. Equally important, is our internal focus on what’s ‘essential’ to go further and serve deeper than ever before.
We prioritized fundraising activities with the greatest potential to reach more children. In 2025, we increased revenue by 16% and extended our programs to 3.2 million children, a 24% increase from the previous year.
As our reach expands, we concentrate on equitable distribution of programs to communities where resources are stretched. Nearly half of our network hospitals and facilities care for medically underserved and vulnerable populations. While reaching more children is always our goal, we are committed to reaching the kids
who need us most.
When a child is facing a serious illness, kids need more than medicine.
During a hospital stay, children can feel anxious, overwhelmed, and disempowered, making it harder for them to cope. These feelings can make treatments more difficult, cooperation challenging, and put additional stress on both children and their families.
Starlight programs deliver happiness—a critical part of helping children feel safe, engaged and supported. When kids feel happy, pain levels decrease and blood pressure steadies, making it easier for hospital staff to give children the care they need. More than 98% of hospital partners report that Starlight programs help put kids at ease and combat their anxieties and stress while in the hospital. That calm creates space for something more. In fact, 89% of healthcare staff said Starlight programs help them teach children coping skills.
These transformative benefits go beyond a single hospital stay. Through these play programs, children build trust and rapport with their care team, leading to better treatment compliance and more positive attitudes towards care long-term. Healing Begins with Happiness™, and for every child facing a serious illness, Starlight programs are not nice-to-haves — they’re an essential part of care.
2025 Financials
Starlight Programs
2,238,289 Starlight Gaming Sessions
Powered by Nintendo, Starlight Gaming Stations and Handheld devices bring play and routine into unfamiliar environments. Gaming offers opportunities for decision-making, goal-setting, and accomplishment, restoring a sense of control and normalcy — reducing stress and improving mood for millions of kids over the past 33 years.
94,912 Starlight Hospital Gowns Delivered
Designed for privacy and comfort, Starlight Gowns replace traditional hospital gowns with colorful, character-themed designs. They help children feel confident, in control, and less anxious during that first moment of changing into a gown, allowing them to relax and open up more freely with their care teams. Over 93 percent of hospital partners reported easier conversations, and 92 percent reported more opportunities for meaningful interaction.
637,744 Toys Delivered
Simple toys can brighten the hardest days and become therapeutic tools for kids. They can provide distraction, encourage emotional expression, and help kids build trust with their care teams. Over 78 percent of hospital partners report that toys created meaningful opportunities for patient interaction. Nearly half reported a reduced need to sedate patients.
302,922 kids rode a Hero Wagon
Designed by Radio Flyer for Starlight, Hero Wagons turn hospital hallways into joy rides — encouraging kids to venture beyond their rooms, connect with other patients, and feel like kids again. With IV pole attachments and easy-to-sanitize surfaces, they're built for hospital life while delivering adventure.
1,260 Families in our network
The Starlight Families program bridges the gap between hospital and home, giving families the tools they need beyond hospital walls — from coping skills and pain management resources to diagnosis-specific support, all developed by Child Life Specialists.
Magnus' Story
Starlight Gave My Family Powerful Signs of Hope
Around January, our 10-year-old son, Magnus, was diagnosed with transverse myelitis. In a matter of three days, our active, playful little boy went from running around the playground to losing his ability to walk, grip, and control
his bowel and bladder. He was suddenly completely immobile.
The first weeks were overwhelming and frightening. Around the two-week mark, we began to see small but powerful signs of hope — he was able to sit upright with support and make simple hand gestures like a thumbs-up
or peace sign. From the moment Magnus started to regain sensation, Starlight was there.
Starlight showed up with video games and plushies, immediately lifting his spirits. It made the hospital feel a little less heavy. And having something like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Starlight Gaming Station to look forward to after hours of treatment gave him motivation. It broke up the day. It gave him something normal. Something fun. More than the
fun, though, it gave him back a sense of dignity.
In a season where so much felt out of his control, he didn’t feel different in those moments. He felt like himself. Confident. Engaged. Excited. And during one of the darkest and most uncertain times of our lives, he was able to create memories he’ll probably carry with him forever.
Those happy moments felt monumental to us. And as his dad, watching and experiencing that alongside him… that was just wow. For me, it was a reminder that even in the middle of something overwhelming, there’s still room for joy. And that changes everything.
We know we still have a long road ahead, but the experiences Starlight created for Magnus have become beautiful, lifelong memories in the midst of profound uncertainty.
For that, we are endlessly grateful.
Mike, Magnus’ Dad
- Shannon Taylor, CCLS, ChristianaCare“Starlight allows normalization and play to be more accessible for hospitals, especially smaller hospitals like ours, through their donations. We can bring smiles to kids’ faces and make them less scared through play.”
- Mike, Magnus' Dad“Having something like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Starlight Gaming Station to look forward to after hours of treatment gave Magnus motivation ... More than the fun, though, it gave him back a sense of dignity.”
- Teresa, Head Nurse & Lake's Grandmother“Lake was terrified of the big hospital bed and would not sleep in it. In the Starlight Radio Flyer Hero Wagon, he was happy, felt safe and slept in it for the rest of his hospital stay. Lake was able to get the rest he needed to heal, and I saw how this wagon really made a difference in Lake’s healing process.”
- Certified Child Life Specialist, Illinois“Ninety-five percent of our kids are on Medicaid or uninsured. They're not bringing toys with them. Many don't have toys at home. Giving them Starlight toys to help calm them down–make them more willing and ready to participate in procedures–really helps with cooperation, coping, and reducing trauma.”
- Anna, Team Starlight Fundraiser & Obstetrician at Nemours Children's Hospital“The siblings of the babies I deliver often get lovely surprises and games that Starlight helps to provide. It eases the anxiety of having a sick sibling... Knowing that I can help bring joy in their hospital stays makes me feel happy and grateful to support such a special organization.”
Stream for Starlight
Since 2019, the Stream For Starlight community has never stopped believing in the power of play. Now, just a handful of years later, Starlight is celebrating an incredible milestone by raising $3 million. More than 340 creators went live in 2025, raising a total of $475,220 through 9,287 donations during livestreamed events. The year consisted of six total campaign moments, including Starlight’s recurring annual campaigns and new campaigns, such as May the Fourth be Streamed, Play Week, and Stream Halloween.
2025 By the Numbers
Partners
Through the generosity and commitment of corporate supporters, seriously ill kids and their families experience the transformative power of play through Starlight programs.
Starlight is incredibly grateful for the organizations that help advance its mission.
Here are just a few examples of how supporters turned shopping, gaming, and entertainment into powerful forces for good in 2025.
Colossal’s Face of Halloween
Now in its second year, the Face of Halloween campaign, benefiting Starlight, brought together more than 226,000 fans who unveiled their most creative costumes and shared their spookiest stories to earn community votes. Hosted by Colossal, the campaign transformed fandom into purpose.
Celebrity hosts Jamie Lee Curtis, Matthew Lillard, and Kane Hodder helped rally Halloween fans, while competitors collectively raised $3.2 million to expand Starlight’s core and Halloween-themed programs to seriously ill kids nationwide.
Ollie Graves, a circus artist who has a deep passion for horror movies and heavy metal, was crowned the 2025 Face of Halloween. Having been hospitalized as a child, Ollie had a personal connection to Starlight through her child life specialist.
