GLENDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 13, 2025) - The nonprofit Starlight Children’s Foundation and Colossal – a professional fundraising organization - celebrated the results of Colossal’s Face of Halloween competition, which raised $3.2 million during a holiday celebration at Banner Children’s at Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale.
During the event on Oct. 31, the group distributed toys to young patients at Thunderbird.
"We're incredibly grateful for organizations like Starlight and Colossal for everything they do to help make our young patients' times in the hospital a bit less scary," said Nikki Hardin, nursing director at Banner Children's at Thunderbird. "Seeing the joy on kids' faces during events like reverse trick-or-treating and toy deliveries is a testament to the impact made for our pediatric patients and their families."
Starlight Children’s Foundation offers free programs, like Toy Deliveries and Hospital Gowns, to its hospital partners nationwide, including Banner Children’s at Thunderbird, to help unleash the power of play, an essential part of childhood. Play provides pediatric patients with positive distraction and moments of happiness while temporarily setting aside the challenges of medical procedures, treatments and conditions. Studies have shown that engaging in play can contribute to patients’ well-being and potentially contribute to a speedy recovery.
Mary Hagen, Colossal chief executive officer, said the effort is so rewarding in delivering happiness to hospitalized kids.
“Through our mechanism of public voting, we’re also raising awareness for Starlight Children’s Foundation as we narrow down to our champion,” Hagen said. “There’s really nothing like it when you get to have this tangible impact. We raise the funds, but we don’t always get the opportunity to get hands-on, so it’s really an exceptional experience to see the impact of the dollars we’ve raised through the competition.”
Starlight CEO Adam Garone echoed those sentiments.
“One of the most important days for children is Halloween, so this campaign raising $3.2 million for us will go so far in delivering more of our programs to kids for the holiday and throughout the rest of the year,” Garone said. “To all the voters and participants in the Face of Halloween, your donations will have an incredible impact on the amount of children that we are able to support through Starlight programs.”
This marks the second year that Starlight Children’s Foundation has been the beneficiary of a Colossal’s Face of Halloween competition. This competition highlights the power of community and fandoms as Halloween fans everywhere participated and voted for their favorites to become the Face of Halloween.
Colossal also announced the winner of the Face of Halloween, Ollie Graves, a scary movie fan who loves all things spooky. Graves will be awarded $13,000 and a meet-and-greet with the original “Scream Queen” Jamie Lee Curtis and fellow slasher film vets, Matthew Lillard of “Scream” and Kane Hodder, aka Jason Voorhees.
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. Healing begins with happiness™. Learn more at starlight.org and follow Starlight on social media @starlightchildrensfoundation.
About Banner Health
Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country and a leader in provider-sponsored health insurance serving 3.5 million people annually across six states. With 33 hospitals and more than 450 additional care sites, Banner’s array of services includes a health insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division, and a nursing registry. Through its longstanding, innovative relationship with the University of Arizona, Banner’s academic medicine division provides ground-breaking clinical discoveries, advanced life-saving care and educates 1,300 physicians annually. Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center treats more than 103,000 patients a year. Banner Plans and Networks offers Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health coverage to more than 1.2 million members. In 2024, Banner Health provided $1 billion worth of community benefits to assist those in need through a range of programs. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
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