Meet Our Kids

Meet Marley

When a child survives cancer, their hopes and dreams deserve to survive too. For young Marley Brown, the dream of becoming a theoretical physicist or astrophysicist is now even more possible with the support of the Back on Track program.

Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at 15 months old, Marley’s treatment impacted his development at kindy and well into his early primary school years. Now in year 9, Marley is armed with the resources and support he needs to feel empowered to succeed in the classroom and to infinity and beyond.

Watching her son struggle with neurocognitive side effects since primary school, mum Kerrin Hampson says she’s already seen the benefits of the program and believes the initiative will continue to will help Marley find his confidence, feel supported and give him the structures he needs to succeed on his own terms.

“This is the best Marley has been at school, ever. I really want to thank you and Back on Track WA. He’s always loved school, but this is completely different,” says Kerrin.

Fremantle College has proudly partnered with Back on Track WA to support Marley’s learning and achievement, which includes a STEM and engineering excursion to the east coast in 2023, fully funded by the program. On the trip’s itinerary is the Sydney Observatory, CSIRO discovery centre, and the Canberra Deep Space Centre. Marley’s thirst for science began with his interest in cancer research early on and has since evolved over time.

Gifted and Talented Coordinator at Fremantle College, Susan Fahey says “Marley responds to every challenge with a smile and a good sense of humour. He has set himself goals for each of his subjects with the overarching goal of improving his study skills, organisational skills, and focus.”

Marley has paved the way for future participants of the Back on Track WA program, and his story serves as an inspiration to other children who encounter academic obstacles from their cancer treatment, reminding them that with the right resources and support systems, they too can achieve their goals and thrive academically.