YULI’S STORY

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When newlyweds Lynda and Aki had their baby daughter they decided to call her Yuli, Japanese for lily. Yuli’s birth was confirmation of their

happiness and hope for the future.

But their fairytale abruptly ended when Yuli was diagnosed with Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction (blocked bowel). Apart from just a few months at home with her family, Yuli spent the first three years of her life in hospital.

“Yuli had to be fed intravenously,” recalls mum Lynda. “I couldn’t work. Aki forfeited his degree. Life outside hospital was put on hold. Weekends, holidays, special occasions were all spent in hospital.”

That’s when Captain Starlight came into their lives.

Lynda remembers arriving at the hospital one day to find Yuli singing and dancing with not one, but two Captain Starlights!

“The room felt electric, full of excitement and hysterical laughter,” says Lynda. “I was comforted to know that while I was away, Yuli was having the time of her life.”

Yuli is now seven. She attends school with the help of a carer, but still suffers a gruelling daily medical routine. The threat of infection from her IV means lengthy hospital stays are never far away.

When Yuli is in hospital, she can usually be found with Captain Starlight belting out her idol Stan Walker’s hit song ‘Loud.’

So it came as no surprise to Lynda what Yuli’s Starlight Wish would be…

Yuli was absolutely thrilled to meet her hero backstage at Carols at The Docklands. Imagine her surprise when Stan told her he simply couldn’t sing ‘Loud’ on stage without her!

Yuli took to the stage like a natural and sang in front of 20,000 people. Her practise sessions with Captain Starlight had certainly paid off!

“We’ve nearly lost Yuli several times,” says Lynda. “To see her on stage brought tears to our eyes. That moment is something we’ll never forget.

“We know the future is uncertain. But life isn’t to be lived in fear. We’ve learnt to treasure the simplest things. To be grateful and above all to have faith, love and hope.”