Every year 2,500 children in the UK are diagnosed with a serious or terminal illness.
For the people who care for them, one of the most important - but equally one of the hardest - things is to help the children remain positive, despite their illness and despite the gruelling treatment that has to become part of their daily routine. National charity Starlight Children’s Foundation exists to help lighten the load by granting wishes and providing entertainment to the children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. The latest research by Starlight shows it is excitement, fun and laughter which make the biggest difference to these children’s lives. 

Hotwire works with Starlight on a pro bono project basis to promote their work with children’s wards around the country. To support a fundraising door drop in the spring of 2006, Hotwire and Starlight surveyed over 600 children and 60 professional carers in hospitals and children’s wards around the country, looking at the impact the national Starlight entertainment programme had on the children’s wellbeing. The research showed that distracting hospitalised children with fun activities helps them to relax, and has a significant impact on how they deal with pain. 

Hotwire was supported by radio agency Markettiers who, also working on a pro bono basis, issued the release and supporting case studies to national press and broadcast media, as well as to regional media in selected key areas. The case studies illustrated the benefits of the Starlight effect in action.

The Sun picked up the story and interviewed six-year-old Jack Smith and his family to talk about the day Starlight granted his wish to become a fireman, and the uplifting effect it had on his spirits and his ability to deal with the effects of his illness, tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TOF). Real People magazine ran a case study on neurofibromatosis sufferer Lisa Stringer and the day Starlight flew her to Dublin to meet Hilary Duff. The campaign also achieved coverage on radio stations across the country, reaching a total of two and a half million people. A further seven and a half million people tuned in to the Starlight webcasts in April to learn about the charity’s work, and regional newspapers including the Colchester Evening Gazette and Colchester & Mersey Weekly News also picked up the story.
Starlight CEO Neil Swan comments:

“When comparing this latest door drop with previous campaigns, we can clearly see the impact Hotwire’s PR programme had on response rates.  The funds we’ve raised have helped us supply children’s wards around the country with our Starlight Fun Centres and Distraction Boxes, and will also go towards granting the wishes of other sick children through the rest of the year.”

For more information on the Starlight Children’s Foundation please visit www.starlight.org.uk or call + 44 20 7262 2881.