For more than 50 years, Telethon has been transforming and positively impacting the lives of sick, vulnerable, and disadvantaged children in Western Australia by aiding the delivering life-changing programs, purchasing equipment and funding medical research into childhood diseases. This year, Telethon has named the Child Cancer Research Foundation as one of its 107 beneficiaries and will proudly commit to funding the Foundation’s new education advocacy program to ensure childhood cancer survivors reach their full potential. The first of its kind in WA, the Back on Track initiative ensures children who go through cancer treatment do not fall through the cracks with their education due to the enormous strain treatment can have.
“We were thrilled to be named as one of the 2023 Telethon 7 beneficiaries,” says CCRF Chief Operating Officer, Kylie Dalton. “To know that our Back on Track WA Educators have been fully funded by one of the largest and most prestigious children’s charities in WA is a true honour.”
When a child survives cancer, their hopes and dreams deserve to survive too. The initiative provides fully funded education advocates to be assigned to a child cancer patient following diagnosis, who will remain with the child for their entire treatment journey and beyond. Tailoring a diverse long term education program that includes additional tutoring, advocating at hospital level and with the school. The education advocate supports the child, parents, siblings, classmates, and the teacher throughout the entire school journey, offering guidance upon the often-daunting return to the classroom.
For Logan Humphreys, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at 2 and a half, the harsh treatments and time in isolation has impacted his development greatly, even now as a healthy strong 12-year-old boy, he deals with PTSD and anxiety. Navigating the transition into his first year of high school has been a difficult one for Logan, who has been subjected to bullying behaviours. Now with the support of the Back on Track program, he has all the resources and support he needs to build resilience and help him feel empowered to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Watching her son struggle for years with neurocognitive side effects, mum Tegan Connolly says she can already see the benefits of the program and believes the initiative will continue to help Logan find his confidence, support his education, mental and emotional well-being, by giving him the structures, support, and opportunity he needs to succeed on his own terms.
“I can’t thank the Back on Track program enough for the tremendous support it’s giving Logan to grow thrive and flourish through high school.”
Telethon has been created by and belongs to the community of Western Australia, who over five decades have generously donated more than $528 million to ensure a better life for our children now and in the future. The Back on Track WA program ensures children have the chance to get back to their education post treatment; an opportunity every child deserves and has already proven to be invaluable to many WA child cancer families.
“It also means we have a great sense of security knowing they support our pathway forward and look forward to having them continue supporting and funding us far into the future,” – Kylie Dalton.
It’s been a vision years in the making and with the support of Telethon, envisioning more children like Logan, reach their full educational potential is becoming even more of a reality.
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