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Children at Queensland Children’s Hospital were paid an exciting surprise visit when The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, Thing 1 and Thing 2 stopped by to spread Carnival Cruise Line fun. 

The Dr. Seuss characters dropped in to meet some of their littlest fans and celebrate the funds raised for Children’s Hospital Foundation as part of Carnival Cruise Line’s ‘Conga for Kids’ fundraising initiative.

Raising a total of $20,000 for the Children’s Hospital Foundation during Carnival Luminosa’s 23/24 Brisbane sailing season, Kara Glamore, Vice President of Carnival Cruise Line was in attendance to present the Children’s Hospital Foundation with a cheque as Carnival Luminosa wraps up her Australian sailing season. 

Thanking Carnival Luminosa’s guests, Kara Glamore said, “Fundraising milestones like this wouldn’t be possible without our guests’ unwavering generosity towards our Conga for Kids initiative. This was Luminosa’s second season homeported in Brisbane so it’s an honour to able to give back to the Queensland community through our work with the Children’s Hospital Foundation.”

Funds raised from Carnival’s Conga for Kids activity go towards helping kids like three-year-old Lachlan Reed, who was born with chronic kidney disease and has battled with regular dialysis and hospital admissions his entire life. 

Thanks to supporters like Carnival, the Children’s Hospital Foundation can support Lachlan and his family – including his two big sisters – during their many hospital visits, providing a place to play and special experiences to take their minds off the complexities of his treatment.

On the support their family has received, Lachlan’s mother Rebecca Reed said, “I cannot put into words how special and amazing it is to have the support of the team at the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Their team have become like family – we would be lost without them.”

On the donation, Birks said, “The ongoing support from the team at Carnival and guests onboard means so much to us at Children’s Hospital Foundation and will enable us to continue to support families and patients. It’s great to be a part of days like today that are all about bringing smiles to the faces of these incredible children.”

Carnival Cruise Line has been a proud supporter of the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Queensland since 2019 and has hosted its recurring Conga for Kids event onboard Carnival Luminosa since the ship began sailing from Queensland in November 2022. 

For more information, please visit https://www.carnival.com.au/news/conga-for-kids