Peyton Flanner, a nine-year-old girl from Boyup Brook in Western Australia, passed away on January 9 this year after a battle with an aggressive brain tumour. Thanks to a Telethon-funded palliative care program, her family was able to bring her home for her final three months, creating cherished memories.
Peyton was diagnosed with a grade three ependymoma tumour shortly before her fifth birthday. After initial treatment including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, she went into remission but relapsed two months later. Over the next three years, she underwent further treatments and a medical trial.
In September last year, doctors informed Peyton's parents, Kym and Nathan, that her tumour had grown rapidly and she would need palliative care. The family chose to bring her home, supported by the WA Country Health Service's Paediatric Palliative Model of Care, a new Telethon beneficiary in 2026.
The program provides skilled, coordinated care at home for regional and remote families. A team including doctors and nurses trained Peyton's parents to administer medicine, avoiding frequent hospital trips. Peyton spent her final months on the family property, surrounded by loved ones and pets, including her pony Mary and a kelpie from the Telethon-funded Kelpies for Kids program.
Kym Flanner expressed gratitude for the support, saying the team guided them through an impossible chapter. She noted that being at home allowed Peyton to experience calm and peace without hospital procedures. The family treasures videos and memories from this time, including moments with her pony nuzzling her hand.
