PerthNow’s 2017 feature looked beyond Telethon appearances to follow the people who had once been introduced to viewers as children. It reported that 76 children had appeared as Telethon stars since the fundraiser began in 1968, and that the event had raised $231,886,120 by the time the story was published. Those are historical figures from 2017, not current totals.
What the 2017 feature set out to capture
Published on 15 October 2017, PerthNow’s “50 years of Telethon” spoke to 27 past and present Telethon children. Its central idea was simple: an appearance on a fundraising broadcast might be brief, while the person’s life—and any health challenges—continues long after the cameras move on.
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One of the clearest memories came from Louise Sauvage, the 1976 Telethon child. Recalling the event at age three, she said: “I was only three at the time, but I have vivid memories of wearing party dresses and meeting Fat Cat.”
Four lives at different points in the journey
Louise Sauvage: from Telethon child to Paralympic champion
PerthNow identified Sauvage as a nine-time Paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair racing. The feature said she competed at four Paralympic Games and later coached the national wheelchair-racing program at the NSW Institute of Sport. Her 1976 appearance was one moment in a life that went on to include elite competition and coaching.
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- Documentary Feature Film providing an in-depth look at the music, politics, activism, and bold life of music icon, Nina Simone.
- Only film to feature over 50 of Nina's friends, family, band members, lovers and fellow musicians, giving viewers a deeper, stronger understanding of Nina and her artistic intentions.
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Prue Hawkins: a legal career shaped by disability advocacy
Hawkins appeared as a Telethon child in 1987 and lived with brittle bone disease. By 2017, she had a Fine Arts degree and headed a South Perth legal practice. PerthNow reported that, after being told in early 2014 that she was not impaired enough to qualify for the disability support pension, she started a company specialising in family law and disability discrimination law.
Phoebe McIndoe: plans still taking shape in 2017
A 2010 Telethon child, McIndoe was preparing for Year 11 exams and serving as a navy cadet when PerthNow spoke to her. She said she planned to study nursing and pursue nursing in the navy. That was her stated ambition in 2017; the feature does not establish what she later did.
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Savanna Addis: interests in psychology, social work and politics
Addis appeared as a Telethon child in 2011. In the 2017 feature, she described interests in psychology, social work and politics. Those were the possibilities she was considering at the time, rather than a report of a completed career.
How the feature described Telethon’s impact
PerthNow reported that Telethon funding supported research into childhood conditions including cancer, cystic fibrosis, asthma and diabetes. It also named examples of funding for hospital equipment and facilities. These are examples cited by the 2017 feature, not a complete account of Telethon’s work or a statement of current funding arrangements.
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- Equipment: The article said part proceeds from the 2013 fundraiser went toward a NICO Myriad instrument used for endoscopic brain surgery at Princess Margaret Hospital.
- Hospital ward: It reported a $12.1 million investment in the 37-bed Telethon Children’s Ward at Joondalup Health Campus, which opened in June 2016.
Keeping the anniversary figures in context
The “50 years” framing belongs to the 2017 anniversary coverage: PerthNow said Telethon began in 1968. Its count of 76 children and donation total of $231,886,120 were likewise reported as of the feature’s publication on 15 October 2017. They should not be read as current figures. The article’s portraits offer a more enduring perspective: the children it introduced to viewers went on to have distinct adult lives, ambitions and work beyond their time on the broadcast.
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