Q: You began at the Starlight Foundation as a volunteer?

A: Yes. I had initially seen Emma Samms [the actress] who founded the organization with her cousin Peter Samuelson [the film producer] on the Arsenio Hall show talking about Starlight. Then I was speaking about it with someone at work who had recently started volunteering there. She took me to a volunteer orientation and I began volunteering. That was 14 years ago.

Q: Obviously it was the love for this work that started you volunteering. Speaking of the Space Voyage Room, the Adapted Van and the newly approved Wonder Play Room what is it about these projects at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center that has appealed and motivated Starlight to green light these projects?

A. Overall what really appeals to our Board about Elizabeth Seton are the kids. The staff is also unbelievable. They are an absolute joy to deal with. You feel the commitment from everyone. When we visit the hospital they are so welcoming and to be honest it is a tough place. When you talk to them and see the children, it is tough there are some tough issues. The kids themselves are unbelievably resilient excellent spirits. They put on a talent show for us last year and I have to tell you I went out weeping. We bring Board members there and new people we want to join the Board and they get it right away. You get it right away. These kids need you. I love that and again everyone is just so easy to work with.

With regard to the Space Voyage Room, when Elizabeth Seton asked for funding their proposal stated that, our kids play different than other kids. That is what really appealed to the Board. When you enter this special room, there are a host of distractive therapy products and vibrating pillows and cause and effect items. For a layperson coming into the room this stuff doesnt look like play stuff but it is it really is for these children. That sentence, our kids play different, hones in on what is happening at Elizabeth Seton. The van was such a no-brainer. These kids need to go on outings and experience the world and to connect with family. The new adapted van will help them do that. We know the Wonder Play Room will have a tremendous impact on these kids and their ability to play and receive therapy at the same time.

Q: What do you think is the basis of the relationship that exists between the Starlight Childrens Foundation and the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center?

A: Trust. We know that the staff will come to us with authentic solutions for these kids, solutions that will work in making a difference in the lives of the kids. They have given careful thought to what these children need. Because you know, when you are talking to your Board and Donors as well, when it is authentic it is much easier to sell.

Q: How do you believe that this relationship has affected the lives of the residents at the Pediatric Center?

A: I think that with this particular population of children with all of the rehab facilities all across the country, everyone is beginning to see what people in pediatric rehab have known for years these kids deserve as much attention, as much dedication, as many opportunities as they can possibly be given. We believe that all of these things that we have funded that all of the work is making a world of difference in the lives of these children.

It was amazing to see all of the kids perform in a talent show, which is such a staple of American society. These kids did a talent show and it was a real viable talent show. Not any less than anyone elses talent show. Just in that moment you think, You deserve everything we can give to you, just so that you can be in a talent show just like everybody else. All of the caregivers know this, but when you are a layperson, you may think there is a limitation when actually the opportunities are limitless. All of these new therapies that Elizabeth Seton and others are developing its working, you can see it working. It is a frontier that all of us here outside that world didnt know could be explored.

Q: How has Starlight Childrens Foundation changed since the beginning in the 80s and what is the organizations vision for the future?

A: We have grown in leaps and bounds. Starlight started as a wish organization. Then we began to add programs each year. We started concentrating our efforts inside the hospitals and then we began to concentrate them outside of the hospitals. Then we merged with the Starbright Foundation and became Starlight Starbright. Now we have this vast menu. What I like to say to people is we can feasibly follow a sick child every step of the way through their process from diagnosis, to hospitalization, to rehabilitation, to remission we follow them all the way. Were there.

If you are a fourteen year old kid and you were just diagnosed with leukemia you can go on the website and look at the six webisodes of Coping with Chemo that were developed by teens with cancer for teens with cancer. If youre in the hospital, weve got our Fun Centers there. All of our hospitals have them. Clowns, musicians, yoga all of this stuff is there in many of the hospitals. Our new PC Pal laptops are rolling out and their loaded with fun and educational games and programs, including Starbright World, our secure online community for sick kids which can be accessed in and out of the hospital setting. And finally when you get out of the hospital or youre finished with your treatments and your whole family is exhausted from the process, we call you up on the phone and say, Hey do you want to go to the circus? Do you want to go to a Broadway Show? Come to Six Flags for our Family Fun Day! Our Great Escapes program offers families just that an escape from what their dealing with on an ongoing basis.

We have Quest for the Code a CD Rom game that teaches kids how to manage asthma with voiceovers by Cuba Gooding, Jr., Whoopi Goldberg and General Norman Schwarzkopf We have a program on Sickle Cell Anemia and we are developing programs on diabetes and childhood obesity all of this. So we really are there every step of the way for these kids. Anytime Starlight Starbright sees a significant health risk to kids we are going to try to develop a program to help them get educated about it and possibly resolve it. Theres always something great in the works at Starlight Starbright.

Q: Is there anything specific about the work with the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center that you think is important for people to know?

A. What the Foundation always wants to do is to help Elizabeth Seton help their kids. That is basically it. It may sound really simple, but that is what we want to do. We want to be the go to person. You discover you need something that is going to make a world of difference in the lives of these kids and we want to help you get there. Its what we do.