By Jenna Lebovits
For many children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases, their worlds are defined by endless hospital visits, treatments and long periods spent indoors. This harsh reality can take a toll on the mind and body, leaving many young patients feeling depressed and alone. Recognizing that people living with cancer and chronic illness need more than medical care, Colorado-based Shining Stars Foundation provides emotional and social support through year-round outdoor adventures. The nonprofit provides a space for children and their families to experience the joy of sports, the outdoors, connection and resilience, helping them feel seen and supported throughout their medical journeys.
“Social isolation is a huge issue,” says director of operations Rosemary White. “It’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you’re sitting in a hospital and not able to enjoy your childhood and do everything that a kid is supposed to do. Getting these kids out on the mountain with other children is really impactful. A community of other survivors who know what you’re going through makes a difference.”
This year, the foundation celebrates a major milestone: 25 years of support and nearly 60,000 experiences shared. “The idea behind the program was to get children with cancer outside, to show them that they could be successful on the mountain, and then carry that success with them back to the hospital,” says White. As all ski enthusiasts can attest, there’s nothing quite like the excitement of gliding down a snow-covered mountain for the first time.
Each year in Winter Park, Denver and Aspen, the nonprofit provides more than 60 sport and social experiences for zero-to-25-year olds, including adaptive skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, climbing and more. 2025’s main event—the Aspen Winter Games, which is slated for March—will offer over 250 Shining Star participants the opportunity to learn or hone their ski skills in a week with one-on-one adaptive-certified teachers and a dedicated medical team. Participants are given everything they need to be successful: Gear, lift tickets, lodging, meals and more are all provided free of cost, thanks to generous sponsors. Throughout the event, each Shining Star has the support of a ski instructor, medical team member and an Aspen Buddy, a local community member who serves as a proxy guardian. “We have a medical team of almost 20 that come from all over the country,” says White. “We’re able to accommodate children that are in pretty intense therapies, and their parents feel safe sending them, because we have a skilled nursing team present in case anything happens.”
Unlike other similar foundations, Shining Stars confers lifelong membership. “We’re really focused on community building, because a lot of the challenges that pediatric cancer patients face don’t go away after they turn 18,” says White. “Perhaps the social isolation that they dealt with as a child has compounded in adulthood.”
Shining Stars offers more than just fun; it provides an opportunity for its participants to reconnect with the beauty of life beyond cancer. “When you’re faced with mortality at 12 years old, it’s really scary and does something to the human spirit,” says White. “I have been so fortunate to be able to watch a shift, and see the twinkle return to the eyes of these kids who really need it.”
shiningstarsfoundation.org