'My Shining Star' was started by a group of 4 friends who met whilst running a fundraising campaign for a little girl with cancer, Ruby Laura Young. The campaign managed to raise over £600,000 in just over 18 months, for potential treatment Ruby may need to fight the aggressive cancer, Neuroblastoma.
Throughout the campaign we realised that there were not enough charities supporting families with children who are diagnosed with many forms of cancer, and we knew it would be waste of the trust and expertise we had built up throughout Ruby's campaign if we didn't continue to fundraise and support children and their families through what is the most life-altering, anxious and stressful times in their lives.
We decided to start 'My Shining Star' in order to support families like Ruby's throughout the course of treatment and beyond.
We understand there are many charities in the UK and around the world that grant children wishes, provide trips of a lifetime, and support families in hospital, but we realised there are few (if any) who provide support financially whilst their children are treated, or in the unthinkable situation that the child loses their battle with cancer.
'My Shining Star' was started earlier this year with the main aim to help support families and siblings from diagnosis and throughout their journey with cancer. Our purpose is listed as for the benefit, the relief and assistance of the public, specifically families in need of support when their children are diagnosed with cancer, in any part of the UK, who require financial aid and advice, by providing them with medical expenses/advice, housing support, travel expenses, fundraising advice/support and guidance with any other issues that arise as a direct result of their child’s diagnoses. The long term goal of the charity will be to fund medical treatment currently unavailable in the UK, extending options for life expectancy, and funding future medical research to increase survival rates.'