LIGHTING UP TO HELP CHILDREN

For the fourth year Baldivis residents Paul and Cristie Green will turn on 15,000 Christmas lights, to raise funds for the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation.

They were inspired to create a lights display which covers most of their house, to give back to the hospital after staff saved the life of their now 22-year-old daughter Amy.

She was born 18 weeks premature and spent the first six months of her life in the hospital.

“I know from the heart exactly what it is like having a sick child in hospital and just wanted to play my part to say thank you,” Mr Green said.

“My daughter is here today because of the support, skills and dedication of all the staff involved at King Edward and the then Princess Margaret Hospital, who never gave up on my daughter’s life.”

Last year the lights were set to music from The Greatest Showman which attracted big crowds and helped the family raise $3370.

Mr Green said last Christmas Eve there was a long queue of cars down the street all night, filled with families who wanted to see the show before Christmas Day.

This year the lights will be set to a more traditional Christmas tune, Little Drummer Boy, as well as a playlist of about 50 other songs which will play each night.

The Green family will also host a street party along Beckingham Parkway on December 21 from 6.45pm, which will feature visits from Stitches the Bear and Santa, a raffle, food vans and more.

Over the past 21 years the foundation has raised $81 million for the Perth Children’s Hospital and the wider Child and Adolescent Health Service, with a further $28 million committed over the next five years.

Foundation chief executive Carrick Robinson said it was exciting to see new houses come on board and turn their lights on in support of the Foundation.