2026 Starlight Purple Haze Game: 7yo cancer survivor Paige McKay’s courage takes centre stage at Dockers game

Fremantle picked up a snag against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, but if they need any motivation for their clash with Sydney on Thursday night they can look to the brave story of teenager Paige McKay.

While the Dockers will be wearing special Starlight socks for the match, the real excitement of the night will be seen during the warm-up.

Players will run into Optus Stadium wearing a specially designed Starlight t-shirt created by seven-year-old Paige.

Paige’s journey has been quite harrowing, starting with the loss of fine motor skills in her right hand.

Soon his right leg weakened, he had difficulty exercising, and he began to suffer from morning sickness.

After numerous hospital visits, an emergency MRI revealed Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a brain tumor that had affected one of his ventricles and caused a dangerous buildup of fluid.

A series of emergency brain surgeries, shunts, port insertions and chemotherapy followed.

Tragically, the tumor began growing at an exponential rate, crushing both ventricles and forcing doctors to undergo a third emergency brain surgery.

But thankfully, after ongoing occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy, as well as a new trial drug, Paige’s condition stabilized and the tumor reduced in size.

In the darkest of times, the McKay family found their guiding light in Starlight Children’s Foundation.

“We love Starlight. Starlight is what guides us through this entire medical journey,” Ms. McKay said.

“What a terrible experience it would be to imagine not having Starlight opportunities here.”

The marquee match against Sydney on Thursday will be the Dockers’ 24th annual Starlight Purple Haze Game, a popular fixture in the Fremantle calendar that aims to raise vital funds to brighten the lives of seriously ill children.

The special has raised more than $3.6 million for the Starlight Children’s Foundation since its inception in 2003.

This year, fans will be able to pledge any amount of dollars they want for every goal Fremantle scores during the match.

South32 will match donations up to $100,000, effectively doubling each donation.

Starlight wands and beanies will be available for sale on the ground, with all proceeds going to support the foundation.

For Paige, the inspiration behind the winning t-shirt design started simply.

“I drew the stars, I started by drawing a line and another line and then it became a star,” Paige said. “But my favorite part is the rocket ship.”

The initiative created a lifelong bond between the young survivor and his sports heroes.

“I love watching football,” Paige said. “I’ve been to the real stadium and watched the game before and it was really fun. I want to be a girl Docker one day.”

His mother also jumped on the purple army bandwagon.

“We are definitely Dockers fans now,” Ms McKay said. “Previously, life took precedence over sports, but now we put in more effort.

“It’s completely different when you meet the players and see them take a little more personal interest in your child. It’s very exciting, very happy, especially for the (AFLW) girls.”

“To see him so happy with the Freo players today is absolutely priceless. He just wants to play and love everyone.”

Dockers midfielder Caleb Serong said interactions with the Starlight children had a profound impact on the players.

“It’s incredibly powerful to see how much a little interaction can mean to these kids,” Serong said.

“Selfishly we benefit so much from it, because you feel so good, you can make an impact on someone else, but it’s also amazing to see what it does for them.

“You have an incredible impact on people, you come out with so much energy and enthusiasm that it puts everything into perspective and makes you look at things a little differently.”

With a huge crowd expected at Optus Stadium on Thursday, Serong believes the Starlight effect could turn the event into a record-breaking moment.

“As soon as I found out it was going to be played in Sydney, I had an idea it was going to be a big game,” he said. “I think we might break the attendance record, so it’s exciting.

“I’m so grateful that we have such a big stage, and it raises so much awareness for Starlight because they deserve it.”