Registered Starlight Family Data

When children leave the hospital but continue to battle illness, we also offer outpatient support to over 2,000 families registered in our out-of-hospital programs.

Ongoing data trends from 2021-2024 show a steady 13% annual increase of new Starlight families registering into our programs each year.

Applications revealed that our top two referral sources for program participation were recommendations from friends or other Starlight families, and referrals from medical professionals. With the majority of our Starlight families currently located in Ontario and Quebec, we are working to expand our national reach to support even more families with seriously ill children across Canada.

In response to these referral trends—and feedback from our FUBU (For Us By Us) surveys, which collect insights from registered Starlight families on how we can better implement and expand our programs—we are prioritizing stronger connections with social workers and medical professionals at hospitals and pediatric care centres. To support this outreach, we’ve developed and distributed informational pamphlets for healthcare providers to share with families, helping raise awareness and increase access to our outpatient programs.

AGE BREAKDOWN:
BY GENDER

Age 0-5: 5.7%

     Female: 50%
     Male: 48.8%
     Unidentified: 1.1%

Age 6-12: 41.9%

     Female: 43.6%
     Male: 52.4%
     Unidentified: 2.1%

Age 13-18: 52.3%

     Female: 39.4%
     Male: 54.1%
     Unidentified: 6.4%

AGE BREAKDOWN:
BY LANGUAGE

Age 0-5: 5.7%

     English: 66.6%
     French: 25.5%
     Bilingual: 7.7%

Age 6-12: 41.9%

     English: 58%
     French: 22.7%
     Bilingual: 3.4%
Other/Unknown: 15.6%

Age 13-18: 52.3%

     English: 48.4%
     French: 16.7%
     Bilingual: 2.3%
Other/Unknown: 32.4%

Empowering Inclusion: Starlight Canada’s Commitment to Diverse Abilities and Needs

Supporting children who live with an illness or disability is a vital aspect of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Acknowledging the different abilities and health conditions of each child, Starlight Canada’s programs reach a diverse group, while catering to the wide range of their specific needs and experiences.

Families with sick, differently abled, or hospitalized children often face societal, financial, and emotional barriers. Our mission is to ensure fair and equal opportunities for these communities to better their mental well-being. Through accessible and inclusive programs that spread joy from hospital to home, we foster a sense of belonging to prevent these children from feeling isolated or excluded because of their health conditions.