DUNNVILLE—Eva Towle’s battle with cancer has been long and difficult – but thanks to Starlight Canada, she’s found joy rolling through the Rockies.
The 8-year-old Dunnville girl has spent nearly half her life in treatment for high-risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, enduring years of chemotherapy, sedations, and hospital stays. But this October, Eva and her family traded IV lines for train tracks on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure through the Canadian Rockies, a trip that her mother Sarah says “gave us a chance to just be a family again.”
On October 8, 2025, 13 children living with serious illnesses from across Canada and their families boarded the Rocky Mountaineer for a two-day journey from Banff, Alberta to Vancouver, British Columbia.
The experience, created by the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada and donated by Rocky Mountaineer with support from the Air Canada Foundation, gave families a rare opportunity to set aside treatments, tests, and hospital visits for a few days of wonder, laughter, and connection.
For Sarah and her husband Edward, the invitation came during one of the hardest chapters of Eva’s long medical battle.
“Eva was first diagnosed in October 2021, when she was four and a half,” Sarah explained. “She went through her first two and a half years of treatment and was just about to ring the bell to celebrate finishing when doctors found more cancer cells. She relapsed right at the end. We had to start an even more intense round of treatment.”
That relapse meant more chemotherapy, more sedations, and more time away from friends and normal life.
When Sarah heard about Starlight Canada through other families and saw the call for applications to the Rocky Mountaineer trip, she sent in a short video about Eva’s journey.
“We thought it would be amazing, but we never imagined we’d be chosen,” she said. “It felt like something wonderful finally broke through after years of so much uncertainty.”
The trip became more than just a break from routine.
“It happened right around our 15th wedding anniversary and our older daughter Madeline’s birthday,” Sarah said. “We hadn’t been able to travel at all since Eva got sick, especially during COVID, so it was our first real family trip together.”
Eva, ever the performer, quickly stole the spotlight onboard.
“She loved the karaoke party on the last night,” Sarah laughed. “She sang a K-pop song and had her little friends as backup dancers. She was just glowing with joy.”
Before the train even departed, Eva’s favourite stop was in Banff.
“The candy shop,” Sarah said with a laugh. “She got to pick out whatever she wanted. It was pure childhood magic.”
For Sarah, the highlight was simpler: seeing her daughter experience happiness unshadowed by illness.
“To just watch her laugh, to see her so carefree, it was everything,” she said. “So often, we have to say no to things because of treatment or low immunity. This trip was all yeses.”
Behind the smiles was a monumental coordination effort.
Starlight Canada CEO Brian Bringolf said the trip took months of planning.
“You’ve got families coming from every corner of the country – planes, trains, buses, hotels, meals, activities – it’s an enormous team effort.”
Children were selected from Starlight’s nationwide outpatient program, which supports seriously ill kids and their families year-round.
“We invite them to send in short videos about why they’d love to go,” Bringolf explained. “It’s the hardest selection we make, because every child deserves it. We give priority to kids with terminal diagnoses or those nearing the end of eligibility due to age.”
The Rocky Mountaineer experience has now become a cherished annual tradition.
“We’ve been doing it about seven or eight years, and it keeps growing,” said Bringolf.
“The Armstrong family, who own Rocky Mountaineer, donate the train every year. The crew volunteer their time, and many come back because the experience with these kids is so meaningful. The Air Canada Foundation provides all the flights, and sponsors like Ardene and Sophina Foods help cover other costs and surprises along the way.”
During the journey, children and families enjoyed scenic views, sing-alongs, caricature artists, games, and laughter with Captain Starlight, the foundation’s superhero mascot.
“Families living with serious illness spend so much time in survival mode,” said Bringolf. “Trips like this let them breathe again. It’s about creating moments remembered not for illness, but for laughter, beauty, and hope.”
For Sarah, those words ring true.
“The kindness of everyone involved was incredible,” she said. “The staff from Rocky Mountaineer, the Starlight team, Air Canada, Ardene, Sophina Foods – they were all there with us. They didn’t just sponsor it – they shared it. It’s something we’ll never forget.”
She added, “What Starlight does is provide these events to help make kids smile so that your families can cope better. And that is 100% what they have done with all of their partners. To do this, it’s beyond anything we could have ever hoped for. It was a real special experience for us.”
