Big change for little champions

For the second year in a row, Canterbury League Club has provided a $20,000 donation to The Footy Show’s ‘Big Change For Little Champions’ Telethon in support of Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia.

Dr George Peponis OAM, Chairman of Canterbury League Club, was there on the night to present the large cheque to Starlight as well as rub shoulders with all the fantastic Captain Starlights and volunteers who made the night possible.

Over $475,000 was raised from 2,686 phone calls from generous supporters during this year’s telethon, smashing last year’s fundraising figures, with all monies going towards supporting Starlight’s in-hospital Starlight Express Room program.

This year Starlight’s goal is to raise enough money to make a difference in the lives of 15,000 children who visit their Starlight Express Rooms every year. The current amount is enough to help over 12,000 children with Canterbury’s donation responsible for 512 of those children.

“Starlight is the only children’s charity with a permanent presence in every major children’s hospital right around the country. What we do with the Starlight Express Rooms is to come into a hospital with something that is so different from life in the ward and give all the children and their families a chance to be children again, to be happy and have fun,” said Louise Baxter, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia.

Since forming in 1988, Starlight has been lifting the spirits of seriously-ill children and their families with their Starlight programs including the Starlight Express Rooms, Starlight Wishgranting and Captain Starlight.

“The atmosphere at Starlight Telethon HQ on the night was electrifying; it was fantastic to be there on behalf of Canterbury right in that moment, surrounded by so many people backing the same great cause – helping thousands of seriously-ill children feel like kids again. Starlight does amazing work for the community and Canterbury is proud to be supporting them,” said Dr George Peponis.