Telethon community fundraisers: Harper Wade and Emily Barlow spreading light while fighting own health battles

Even while fighting debilitating health battles of their own, Harper Wade and Emily Barlow found a way to spread a little light through the darkness that seeps into the corridors of Perth Children’s Hospital.

Harper’s nightmare began with a dull leg ache. In August 2023, at just eight years old, it was revealed her pain was actually metastatic osteosarcoma.

What followed was a brutal nine-month marathon of chemotherapy.

But even in her darkest moments, Harper’s heart was turned outward. She wanted to find a way to help other families navigating the same terrifying path.

In 2025 she launched Harper’s Way, which included a family fun day that looked like every child’s dream complete with an inflatable nightclub, an inflatable obstacle course, and face-painting and hair-spraying stations.

And for the grown-ups, there was a trivia night and silent auction. Plus plenty of baking.

Altogether, she raised $24,000.

“It makes me feel good when I fundraise for Telethon,” Harper says.

“I kind of hope quite a bit of it will go to the oncology ward . . . because it could help the nurses and get them some better stuff, and add some things for the kids to play with and hopefully give all the kids in the hospital a better chance of living.”

Thirteen-year-old Emily has also been on a mission to give back to WA’s sick kids.

Emily was diagnosed with bilateral spastic diplegia cerebral palsy just before her first birthday.

For years, independent walking seemed like a mountain she might never conquer. But at age five, she became eligible for the Telethon-funded iStride research program which allowed her to take her first independent steps.

“Telethon is just below Christmas in my eyes, I love it,” Emily says.

Her mum, Necole Barlow, remembers Emily wouldn’t even try to stand, unless she was in her “happy place” — the kitchen.

Emily’s passion has turned her into a fundraising powerhouse. In 2025 alone, Emily’s bake sales netted just under $5000. Over seven years, she has raised $15,000 for the organisation that helped her to walk.

“I’ve been baking a lot for Telethon,” Emily says. “I just hope it can help them (the kids) out so they can have all the opportunities they want in their life.”

The ripple effect of Telethon is felt strongly by young kids across WA, including at Mindarie Primary School, where students participated in the Premier’s Telethon Challenge.

“When kids help kids, something magical happens,” associate principal Helen Woodard says.

What started as a “crazy hair and sock day” escalated into an $18,000 fundraising feat.

Students sold raffle tickets, hosted an icy-pole day, and ran a bake sale that alone raised $3500.

Mindarie Primary School student councillor Dylan Danti says Telethon “made me feel a part of something”.

“Telethon to me seems like a very caring and important charity, and when I was able to be involved, it made me feel as if I was helping out, too,” he says.

For parents like Lana Williams, seeing her son Brooklyn donate his own prized pocket money was a moment of pure pride.

“It was probably his best day of the school year,” she says. “All three of our kids felt so honoured to be at the event and grew even more in their empathy and understanding toward others.”

These inspiring young hearts are proof Telethon is much more than the philanthropy of governments and the generous bank cheques of big industry.

From kids selling cupcakes or donating their pocket money, to the mums and dads completing breathtaking physical challenges, everyday West Australians never fail to prove that together, they can be incredible.