LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - March 23, 2011) - Starlight Children's Foundation is pleased to name New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi a Global Ambassador for the organization. A supporter of Starlight's for a decade, Tony is dedicated to Starlight's mission to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Tony is a Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator, whose books include The Search for WondLa and The Spiderwick Chronicles.
"It has been my joy to share the rewards of reading, art and imagination with not only healthy children in bookstores and schools across the world, but with other children who are not as fortunate," he said.
This quest began for Tony when his young daughter Sophia suffered seizures at an early age, giving his family a first-hand experience of the overwhelming and often frightening reality of life in the hospital.
"Being storytellers, my wife and I passed the time between medical procedures and discussions with doctors by creating our own fairy tales and playing make-believe with our daughter within the walls of our quiet hospital room," said DiTerlizzi. "It was there I began to truly understand the power of what a fantastic story can do and how it can transport one to another time, place or world."
For more about Tony and his many projects, visit www.diterlizzi.com.
About Starlight Children's Foundation
When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition, everyone in the family is affected. For more than 25 years, Starlight Children's Foundation has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Starlight's programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, help them better understand and manage their illnesses, and connect families facing similar challenges so that no one feels alone. Through a network of chapters and offices, Starlight provides ongoing support to children, parents and siblings in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces with an array of outpatient, hospital-based and Web offerings. Programs are also delivered internationally through affiliates in Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.
Contact Information:
Press Contact:
Melanie Parga
Starlight Children's Foundation
(323) 556-3315