Starlight Day 2026: Starlight Express making Perth Children’s Hospital joyful for sick kids like Paige McKay
Most kids are ecstatic when they leave the hospital, but for kids like Paige McKay, the people in a special room have become like family to her.
A shaved and bandaged head is the only indication that Paige underwent emergency brain surgery less than a week ago, with the seven-year-old a smile on her face, courtesy of the captains in the Starlight Express room at Perth Children’s Hospital.
The children’s charity was celebrating Starlight Day on Tuesday by hosting crafts, dress-up, games and a comedy show for sick children at PCH as part of an effort to raise $1.95 million by the end of June.
The space has become a second home for Paige, who has undergone treatments and surgeries since being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor almost two years ago.
The Starlight team got their parents through their toughest days.
“Paige has an inoperable brain tumor and they keep trying to take it from us, but she keeps fighting,” her father, Leif McKay, said.
“We were admitted to a remarkable hearing, but at that time he was trapped in a ward and being able to come here gave him a chance to breathe for a moment.
“This allowed him to have fun, cheer, laugh and play games with the captains.
“And when you’re here you don’t think about your situation, it just allows you to watch your child be as normal a child as possible and keep moving forward.”
The Starlight team even decorated Paige’s hospital room with balloons and lights when they found out she was going to have emergency brain surgery, so she would know the captains were thinking of her when she woke up.
“They became our hospital family. I came here when she was taken into emergency brain surgery,” said Paige’s mother, Ami McKay.
“It’s the starlight that gets him through this.”
Starlight Day was extra special at PCH as therapy dog Captain Mars came to cuddle with the kids.
Perth Glory and Fremantle Dockers players also stopped by.
In addition to visiting the captains, Paige said she also enjoys making her sock puppet, which she calls ‘Hug’.
“I like to see the captains, they are so stupid,” he said.
“We love an activity in the Starlight Express room. I think it adds a little fun to a day where sometimes being in the hospital can obviously be a little scary,” said Megan Strickland, Starlight Children’s Foundation program manager.
Donations to Starlight Foundation It will triple in size on Tuesday, May 19th.
