Goryeb Children's Hospital Celebrates Child Life Month with Starlight Children's Foundation

Child Life Month: The Importance of Child Life Specialists and How They Bring Happiness to Hospitalized Kids

Starlight’s vital programs are needed to help hospital teams unleash the healing power of play

MORISTOWN, NJ, March 24, 2025 – Think of the last time you were at the doctor or admitted to the hospital. How did it make you feel? Do you wish someone was there to distract you or give you a fun tool to help you heal? That’s why Child Life Specialists and Starlight Children’s Foundation exist. Starlight programs, like Starlight Gaming, Hospital Gowns, and Toy Deliveries, are therapeutic tools used by child life teams to help distract, comfort, and support kids in their healing journeys. Tara Helfrich, assistant manager of the Child Life Program at Atlantic Health System’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown and the Hersh Children’s Center at Overlook Medical Center, knows firsthand just how powerful Starlight programs can be.

“Play has a purpose,” Helfrich explains, “the play we do prepares them for medical treatments and provides distraction in a purposeful way.” Play is an essential part of childhood. But for hospitalized kids, it may look different. When play is at the heart of a child’s treatment, it can have a substantial positive effect.

“Children learn and express through play, and a child life specialist can assess a child's coping and understanding of a medical procedure or diagnosis through utilizing tools from Starlight. We can also alleviate misconceptions about what they're going to experience for both the patient and their family,” said Helfrich.

Through longstanding partnerships, including Nintendo of America and Radio Flyer, among others, Starlight offers its vital programs free of charge to its nationwide network of children’s hospitals and healthcare facilities. Funds raised through the Power of Play
campaign will go toward placing Starlight programs at partner hospitals across the country.

To learn more about the campaign or make a contribution, visit starlight.org/play.

Key Highlights of Starlight Programs:

• · Starlight Gaming can help kids reduce stress, improve their self-esteem, and provide familiarity in an otherwise unfamiliar situation.
• · Starlight Hospital Gowns offer a better alternative to traditional gowns, featuring kid-friendly designs that help improve mood, reduce stress, anxiety and embarrassment, while fostering interactions with healthcare providers – enhancing the overall care experience.
• · Starlight Toy Deliveries create opportunities for play that have high therapeutic value and are utilized as a distraction tool for a sense of relief during a stressful situation and, in some cases, reduce the need for sedation.

“Starlight provides essential therapeutic tools that child life teams rely on to support young patients. While child life specialists play a vital role in pediatric healthcare, they often lack the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively. This critical fundraising campaign helps support the distribution of Starlight programs to hospitals nationwide, bringing comfort and joy to hospitalized kids and their families – making their journey to recovery a little brighter,” said Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation.

                                                                                              ###

About Starlight Children’s Foundation

Hospital stays can be lonely, stressful, and scary. That’s why Starlight exists. Founded in 1982, Starlight Children’s Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that aims to deliver happiness to seriously ill children and their families through vital programs that impact millions of kids annually. Donor-funded and offered free of charge to hospitals and families, Starlight programs unleash the power of play, empowering kids with a renewed sense of optimism, resilience, and courage. Starlight is a top-rated charity committed to the equitable allocation of programs to its nationwide hospital network. 

Learn more at starlight.org and follow Starlight on social media @starlightchildrensfoundation.

Contact: Valerie Jones-Mohr, Public Relations Specialist

219-798-4640 | valerie.jones@starlight.org