121 Marcus Clarke Street
About us
The Stella Bella Little Stars Foundation was launched in 2012 to brighten the lives of children in the ACT region who are living with serious and long term illnesses. We offer support and assistance to these children and their families, regardless of their diagnosis.
Our founder’s daughter Stella’s passed away at only nine months old. She spent half of her short life in hospital and half of it cared for at home in palliative care. Caring for Stella was a mammoth task, requiring 24 hour care, tube feeding, medication, supported breathing and suction machines, extra oxygen and lots of medical appointments. Though her parents wouldn’t have swapped their time with her for anything, they certainly learnt to appreciate how hard it is for many families in similar situations. Most families lose at least one wage when they have a child with a long term, serious illness, and some lose both wages. Living expenses rise with more travel costs, medication and meals in hospital, so a little support goes a long way to support families through these very difficult times.
Since the launch of the foundation, we proudly provide a range of supportive programs to families in need to help them through some of their toughest times. Our programs include: Financial Assistance, The Stella Bella Children’s Centre and the Little Star Beads Program and the Stella Bella Family Camp.
How your donation will be used
Funds raised through the Tour de Office event will be directly funding the Stella Bella Family Camp. The Foundation organises and hosts up to 20 families at Lake Burrinjuck and gives each of them a little cottage for the weekend in early October. The cabin is filled with supplies for breakfast and caters for all of the lunches and dinners over the weekend. We have nurses staying over for support where needed and provide inclusive activities for all of the children as well as separate activities just for mums and just for dads to help nurture and strengthen them and give them some much needed 'me' time. This event is so important and rejuvenating for the families who come along. All of them have children with life limiting medical conditions with extremely high care needs and this weekend away, that we host, is a chance for the families to spend time together just being a family and enjoying the things that other families get to take for granted.
This family camp is a wonderful, memory making time for the families and for many, it's often the first time they have ever been away together, other than staying at an interstate hospital. With funds donated, we will host an extra amazing camp for the families this year after 18 months of isolation and extra worries for our families, this will be received with gratitude and appreciated.
