Hailey's Journey from Life Support to Recovery
Five-year-old Hailey Horton, who was placed on life support three years ago after a devastating accident, is now helping the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation (PCHF) raise funds for vital rehabilitation services. She is the new face of PCHF's 2026 tax appeal, which will raise funds for Kids Rehab WA at Perth Children's Hospital (PCH).
Kids Rehab WA helps children like Hailey recover from life-altering acquired or congenital neurological impairments, including brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders. The service supports more than 1800 West Australian children each year with specialist rehabilitation, world-leading technology, and early intervention programs.
The Accident That Changed Everything
Three years ago, Hailey was dancing, jumping, and playing normally in her Armadale home. But an accident changed that in an instant when a pot of boiling water was accidentally knocked over, causing severe burns to more than a third of her body. She was rushed to hospital, but serious viral infections and damage to the area of her brain that controls movement led to her being placed on life support. Her lungs deteriorated, she went into kidney failure, and she lost key motor skills and muscle tone. Her parents were told she may not survive.
After years of extensive therapies and hospital visits, including several skin grafts, laser therapy, and a tracheotomy to help her breathe, Hailey is now on the road to recovery. She had to relearn basic movements such as sitting, standing, and jumping.
Gratitude to Kids Rehab WA
Hailey's father, Justin Horton, credited the team at Kids Rehab WA and PCH for her remarkable progress. “The team at PCH has done remarkable things with her. They’ve been with us every step of the way, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their help,” he said. “There has been a lot of appointments, not just the rehab, but the rehab has been the main one. They’ve been helping us try to get her mobility back into walking, standing, jumping. Being able to bend over and pick things up, try to feed herself. Without the rehab team, I don’t think she would be as far as where she is today.”
Kids Rehab provided a team of PCH physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and orthotics specialists to help Hailey regain her strength. She is now able to walk small distances without help. “I’ve seen this kid in the middle of the lounge room start trying to jump. It’s not a 100 per cent clean jump, but there have been times where you see both feet come off the ground,” Mr Horton said. “My words can’t really describe it. We’ve just been really grateful watching this miracle happen before our eyes.”
Supporting the 2026 Tax Appeal
The Horton family was happy to help when PCHF asked Hailey to be the face of their 2026 appeal. “I believe it’s very important to help out in any way possible when it comes to donations or anything with the PCHF. It’s important these kids get the therapies to hopefully end up in the same situation as Hailey where they are able to relearn to walk,” Mr Horton said. “I just want to give a shout out to Kids Rehab up at PCH, and the PCHF as well for giving us the chance to tell Hailey’s story.”
Funds raised will go towards delivering the next generation of rehabilitation technology and specialist programs to WA kids. PCHF funds several Kids Rehab WA technologies, including the ZeroG 3D robotic gait and balance training system, which helps kids practice their balance and relearn walking movements. PCH was the first children's hospital in Australia to introduce the technology earlier this year.
Commitment to World-Class Care
PCHF CEO Carrick Robinson emphasized the importance of the appeal. “As WA’s specialist children’s healthcare charity, PCHF is committed to ensuring every child has access to world-class care, breakthrough technology and innovative programs that can transform the course of their recovery,” he said. “It’s about giving kids like Hailey the best possible start, not just in recovery, but in life. With the support of the WA community, we can continue backing game-changing initiatives that help our State’s kids get well, stay well and reach their full potential.”
