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100 days to go: Telethon recipient Emily raises much-needed funds through a bake sale to help kids like her

Claire SadlerThe West Australian
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Emily Barlow with her famous Chocolate Chip Cookies, Emily has cerebral palsy and has been participated in a number of Telethon supported activities Andrew Ritchie
Camera IconEmily Barlow with her famous Chocolate Chip Cookies, Emily has cerebral palsy and has been participated in a number of Telethon supported activities Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie/The West Australian

Emily Barlow learnt to stand by helping her mum bake and with only 100 days to go until Telethon she’s now baking up a storm to help raise money for children like her.

The 11-year-old has cerebral palsy and knows all too well what donations can do — learning to stand and walk through the help of Telethon-funded services.

“I do remember when I first started baking I was little and I had this standing box,” she said.

“My parents were always trying to convince me to stand because I did not want to stand but the one way they could get me up was I would just bake.”

She has now turned her passion into a fundraising mission, raising much-needed money for Telethon over the last five years.

“I love to bake but it is kind of pointless to just be baking as there is not much room in my freezer so I now do it to raise money and then I get to help people like me,” she said.

“I have had a lot of opportunities because of Telethon and it is nice to know that because of my money-raising, some other kids might be able to have that experience as well.”

Last year, Emily made hundreds of cookies to raise $2669 for Telethon and this year she hopes to raise even more by making her famous choc-chip cookies as well as macarons and New York-style cookies.

“Last year I raised the most money out of everybody in the bake sale,” she said.

“I hope to raise $3000 by October — that is what I really want to do.”

Until August 31, Woolworths is giving $100 to Telethon fundraisers like Emily, who hold a bake sale, to cover the cost of ingredients.

Emily has received support through several Telethon-funded organisations, including learning to swim with SuperFins, improving her walking with the Zero G machine at Healthy Strides, and abseiling with Whiz Kids.

Emily’s mum Necole Barlow said she felt proud that her daughter was raising funds for an organisation that has supported her throughout her life.

“Emily’s first experience with Telethon was at the Ability WA centre when she first started therapy and Telethon gave her the light gate she used to use. It is just about the stuff we would not get access to otherwise,” she said.

“Emily was part of a study with Healthy Strides’ Dayna Pool and two days after we finished that was when she took her first independent steps.

“There is just so much stuff that has happened that may not have without Telethon.”

It is now only 100 days until RAC Arena and the Perth CBD will be a sea of colour for the 57th annual Telethon weekend.

The 26-hour fundraising extravaganza will be held on October 19 and 20 with the Telethon Family Festival also taking over Wellington Street and Yagan Square on the Sunday.

Telethon raised a record $77.5 million last year thanks to the generosity of the WA community.

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