From Hospital Halls to Disney Trails: Running for Kids' Joy
Hi, my name is Maggie! And I’m a Disney kid. I remember going to the park for the first time on my seventh birthday and feeling the rush of adrenaline on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and taking in the Safari view at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. I’ve been to Disney many times with my family, but running for charity in the Disney Princess 5K presented by CORKCICLE last year was an entirely different experience.
When I’m not training for races, I work as a Certified Child Life Specialist at the HCA Florida Brandon Hospital. In my role, I help seriously ill kids and their families navigate and ease the anxiety and stress that comes with hospitalization. Starlight Children’s Foundation has been an incredible partner in this mission. From their Disney-themed hospital gowns to the Disney-themed toy deliveries, Starlight provides programs that help my patients cope and find a positive distraction. Our hospital receives donations here and there, but with Starlight, I can provide year-round happiness and joy to the kids.
I remember once when Starlight’s programs helped me transform a young girl’s experience transitioning out of the hospital. Leaving the hospital is often a stressful transition for kids, especially when it comes time to remove their IV. But through the Disney Princess adaptive wheelchair covers and Princess costumes I received through Starlight, I was able to empower this patient by creating a special experience for her. I set up her wheelchair with a Cinderella cover and placed a Cinderella costume on top of it. I told her that after we removed the IV, she could leave the hospital as a princess. She became motivated and complied with what we needed to do. Soon enough, she was ‘princess waving’ with a big smile all the way out of the hospital, as if she were the star in a Magic Kingdom parade.
Even though it was hot outside, she still wanted to put on the long, beautiful Disney princess dress. It's in moments like these, when kids are comforted by something they love, that they find a sense of happiness. That’s what helps them cope. When kids have smiles on their faces, their spirits lift, giving them the strength to continue through their hospital journey. Starlight programs are the resources that make those smiles and moments of joy possible.
That’s why, when I received an invitation to join Team Starlight for the Disney Princess Half Marathon presented by CORKCICLE, I knew I couldn’t turn it down. I love Disney, Disney princesses, and Starlight, so this opportunity felt like a perfect fit.
“I love Disney, Disney princesses, and Starlight, so this opportunity felt like a perfect fit.”
- Maggie, CCLS and Team Starlight runner
Race day was incredible. Running through EPCOT, I felt everything come together: the hard work I put into fundraising, my love for Disney, and passion helping kids in the hospital. It was amazing, and I knew I was going to come back to do it again.
This year, I am running with Team Starlight again, but this time, I’ll have a whole team of my colleagues from the hospital – Disney fans who have seen firsthand the impact Starlight programs have on patients’ hospital experiences.
Together, we’ll run miles to deliver smiles to millions of hospitalized kids. Will you join us?
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