***APRIL 2021 UPDATE: Prismatic Rainbow Star Decals are back and available! See below for details!***
“God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us, in the dreariest and most dreaded moments, can see a possibility of hope.” ~Maya Angelou
When Benjamin was diagnosed with leukemia, we stared through the windows of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida for countless hours, scared and confused. We brought our solar powered rainbow maker from home to stick onto the window. A family member also brought us a prism to catch the sunlight and bounce rainbows around our room. Slowly, we began to appreciate our blessings through a new and sharper lens. We appreciated each moment we shared with the people we love. We began to see the rainbows in the clouds.
Now, we are grateful for the opportunity to send rainbows into the clouds of children with cancer, and to those who support their healing. There are two kinds of rainbow stars available: those handmade with love sent for free to children with cancer, and prismatic decals in exchange for donations to The Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research. Both kinds of stars are inspired by our boy, and they now radiate throughout the world.
HANDMADE RAINBOW STARS: Rainbow stars began as handmade gifts for children diagnosed with cancer. Our first delivery of handmade stars went to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital on the one year anniversary of Benjamin’s diagnosis. Word of the project spread, and schools and service groups began helping us create these gifts of love. Now the stars brighten hundreds of children’s windows in most states, and several countries.
These 16 pointed stars are handmade with vibrant tissue paper and laminated with UV resistant plastic. Each comes with a suction cup, ready to adhere to any window.
If you would like to send a rainbow into the clouds of a child with cancer, please complete the form below. Be sure to include the child’s full name, mailing address, and diagnosis. We will be honored to send them a star, free of charge. And if you would like to request kits for you or your service group to make stars, you may use the form below to do so. Tutorials are available for download HERE. Thank you!
Would you like to help send Rainbow Stars to children with cancer? A donation of $5 will cover the supplies and shipping for one star shipped within the continental United States.
PRISMATIC RAINBOW STAR DECALS: When we learned about a company that made prismatic film decals, we reached out to see if they would take a custom order and they did! We sent them a digitally rendered image of our 16-pointed star and they used their magic to create these decals. You simply peel off the backing and they cling to any window. No adhesive required! We recommend cleaning the glass first, and affixing your decals to the inside rather than the outside of the window. West and south facing windows work well, as do car windshields–pretty much any window that gets direct sunlight! Once those sunbeams find the prisms, rainbows will fill your world!
Prismatic Rainbow Star Decals are available for $10 each. If you live in Sarasota you can pick them up for free, or we can ship them to anywhere for a flat rate of $5 (for one star or many). 100% of the proceeds benefits The Benjamin Gilkey Fund! If you would like to place an order, please complete the form below and let us know the quantity you’d like and your preference for pickup or delivery (and your mailing address if applicable). Please allow 1-2 weeks for shipping.
You can pay for your stars via PayPal or Venmo.
Request a Rainbow Star
We also accept donations of supplies. These are the tools we use to create Rainbow Stars:
- Tissue Paper
- UV Resistant Laminating Pouches
- Suction Cups
- Rigid Biodegradable Mailers
- Mailing Labels
- Do Not Bend Stickers
- Small Bags for Kits
- Disappearing Glue Sticks
- 1/8″ Hole Punch
- Scissors
Please contact us for current needs, a mailing address, or more information. Thank you!