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Life took an unexpected turn for Emily when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It’s been a challenging road, but Emily and her family have faced it with courage, hope and resilience.
Telethon beneficiary Make-A-Wish Australia granted Emily an extraordinary wish: to be her own version of the Hulk and save her oncology team from attack. She recently underwent special superhero training and saved the hospital!
Hitting an important milestone, Emily has received her last round of medications. However, her journey continues with antibiotics, monthly blood tests and oncology reviews to ensure she stays on the path to recovery.
When she’s not busy being a superhero, Emily enjoys hip-hop, gymnastics, swimming and spaghetti.
Connor began his journey with cystic fibrosis when he was only three weeks old, and since then, appointments and hospital stays at Perth Children's Hospital have been a regular occurrence. For Connor, there is no such thing as stable. His digestive system causes him grief and pain. Yet, he presses on, defying the invisible grip of cystic fibrosis with a heart full of hope.
Connor's daily regimen includes a staggering 25 doses of medicine and two physiotherapy sessions - a testament to his incredible strength.
Connor enjoys playing sports to keep his lungs strong and dreams of becoming a medical researcher to help others. He enjoys hockey, Lego, basketball, drawing and reading, proving he won't let his condition define him.
Harrison was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy at the age of two. He also grapples with vision impairment, colour blindness, and difficulty navigating uneven surfaces and maintaining balance. Add to that speech, learning and developmental difficulties to get the full picture of the every day challenges that Harrison faces.
Harrison's life is filled with hurdles. He copes with disrupted sleep, endures developing pains, and undergoes injections to manage muscle tightness and enhance his everyday life.
Despite these challenges, Harrison is a beautiful and kind-hearted child who enjoys board games, biking and cooking.
Sophia Marshall began her journey with type 1 diabetes when she was just four years old.
It all started with two weeks of unexplained fatigue. Sophia wasn’t as cheerful as usual; she lost weight and was constantly thirsty. Sophia received a preliminary diagnosis, sending the family to the emergency department. There, further tests confirmed her type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
Since then, Sophia and her family have undergone an intensive training program, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to manage this lifelong condition. Sophia visits the Perth Children’s Hospital every three months and will until she turns 18.
Sophia’s resilience shone even brighter when follow-up blood tests revealed a secondary diagnosis of coeliac disease during her first post-diagnosis appointment.
Sophia refuses to let her conditions define her; she’s living life to the fullest, and diabetes is just along for the ride!
Read about previous Little Telethon Stars from through the years at Telethon: