Hurt to Help — Our Families
The Families
We Support.
Every kilometre run, every dollar raised — it all goes directly to Western Australian families facing their toughest moments. Click on any family below to read their full story.
Our Families
These are the families our community has shown up for. Each one was nominated by someone who loves them, supported by strangers who chose to care, and given 100% of every dollar raised in their name. No exceptions. Behind every card below is a real story.
In October 2024, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. He faced an impossible choice: keep his leg with limited movement and a greater risk of cancer returning, or have it amputated for his best chance at life.
Maia, now aged 9, was first diagnosed with Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2023 — an aggressive form of childhood leukemia — and faced her battle with incredible bravery from the very beginning. After enduring months of treatment, Maia courageously fought and beat her cancer. Then came cancer.
The unexpected loss of a child is an unimaginable heartbreak — one no parent could ever prepare for.
In October 2025, Maria was suddenly diagnosed with a fast-growing, high-grade diffuse midline glioma — a rare and aggressive tumour affecting the brain and spinal cord.
It began in 2017 with peritoneal dialysis for nephritis. Two years later, a kidney transplant gave Dean a second chance at life — and he embraced it fully. Just three months later, he completed the Cape to Cape, a powerful reflection of the active, driven man he was. Then came cancer.
Lincoln’s arrival in August 2020 was meant to be filled with joy. Instead, within hours of being born, he was rushed from his parents’ arms to Perth Children’s Hospital after doctors identified seizures. What followed were weeks of fear, unanswered questions, and eventually a life-altering diagnosis: early myoclonic encephalopathy.
At just 4 months old, Louis was rushed to Perth Children’s Hospital after days of vomiting that were first thought to be gastro. Tests revealed hydrocephalus and a mass on his brain...Then came Justine's Journey
Reggie was born at 36 weeks with Polycystic Kidney Disease. At just 20 weeks gestation, doctors had already identified issues with his kidneys, and at birth, it became clear he had very little kidney function.
Caspian’s journey hasn’t been easy. From as early as 6 months old when he would not eat solid foods and struggled to reach developmental milestones. His parents knew something wasn’t right — but their concerns were dismissed again and again. Thanks to their determination, Caspian was eventually diagnosed with autism, and later with a rare genetic condition called SYNGAP1 syndrome.
Rosie and Lottie were born unexpectedly at just 26 weeks while their parents were visiting Albany for a wedding. Both girls suffered severe brain bleeds and underwent multiple brain surgeries in their first few weeks of life.
15-year-old Owen loves hanging out with his mates, playing sport and going to school — where he gets good grades and dreams of becoming a civil engineer. But unlike his peers, Owen battles ANCA vasculitis.
Diagnosed with inoperable Ewing's sarcoma, Brooklyn urgently needs to travel to the U.S. for specialised treatment that offers her the best chance at life. While government assistance is covering travel for Brooklyn and her mum, heartbreakingly, her dad and little sister were left behind.
On the 30th of August Aiden and Elizabeth’s world came to grinding halt with the unexpected passing of their beautiful little boy.
The Le Plastriers are a salt of the earth family who would give the shirt off their back for someone who needed it more. Heartbreakingly, father Julian received his initial bowel cancer diagnosis in November 2020.
The Reynolds family are from York, a small country town east of Perth. Their world was turned upside down when Eliza was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately the only treatment for this type of cancer is in America.
Hollie was one of our first recipient families and will always hold a special place in the H2H story. The support raised for Hollie helped lay the foundation for everything that followed.
Recipient Updates
How are our families doing? Here's the latest news from those we've supported — because the relationship doesn't end at the finish line.
Reggie Burt
One year of courage. One incredible little fighter.
Reggie celebrated his 1st birthday in May — what an amazing milestone. Mitch and his partner have now begun donor testing as they prepare for Reggie's kidney transplant journey. The decision has been made to delay his transplant until he's a little bigger, with doctors hoping he'll reach around 15kg if he remains healthy. For now, the dialysis journey continues… but so does Reggie's determination. At nearly 9kg, this cheeky little man is growing, thriving, and smashing every goal in front of him.
May 2026
Brooklyn's Journey
Everyone would remember gorgeous Brooklyn.
Hurt to Help was so glad to be able to help their family after Brooklyn was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. She has her next scan coming up on May 5, and so far — all of her scans have been clear 🤍 Since treatment, Brooklyn has experienced significant vision loss in her left eye due to damage to the optic nerve from targeted radiation. But if you met Brooklyn, you'd see her before you see any of that. She is still so positive, so full of life — she loves her friends, loves being at school, and just loves being around her people.
April 2026
Eliza's Sparkle
An update on Eliza
In 2024, our family’s world was turned upside down when our daughter, Eliza, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. We fought alongside her with hope, laughter, and love. Sadly, Eliza has since passed, but her courage, sparkle, and spirit continue to inspire us, and the work of Hurt to Help. 💖 One of the brightest moments during her treatment was a trip to the USA for her Proton Radiation therapy, a potentially life-saving treatment supported by the Australian Government and the amazing village around us. Thanks to Hurt to Help, we were also able to make magical memories at Sea World, Disney, and with Eliza’s Canadian cousins visiting Jacksonville—a memory we hope lasts them all a lifetime. It was an experience we all wished wouldn’t be their last… but one we were able to share because of the love and support surrounding us. When we returned home, Hurt to Help continued to support us in tangible ways. A new lounge after our dog had damaged the old one, a bed so we could sleep beside Eliza comfortably, and most importantly, friendship, love, and reassurance when we needed it most. Their support made an overwhelming journey just a little lighter, and gave our family hope when we needed it most.
May 2025
Louis Boylen
And now, another chapter to their story
We have an update on Justine, Louis, and their beautiful family, one of our much-loved Hurt to Help recipients. Lou was first diagnosed with a rare brain cancer in 2024, and during his treatment, the family relocated from Geraldton to Perth to access the care he needed. In 2025, Justine then faced her own diagnosis with breast cancer, thankfully able to undergo treatment closer to home. And now, another chapter in their story (as told by mum, Justine) “Louis, our incredibly brave boy, has hit another speed bump in the road, and quite literally jumped over it, moving forward full steam ahead. Last month, Louis was diagnosed with a second cancer. Following a routine MRI, doctors discovered a renal cell carcinoma, and within a week, his medical team had acted swiftly, performing a partial nephrectomy to remove the tumour. We are so incredibly grateful for the way Louis’ doctors and medical team continue to move mountains for us. The speed, care, and expertise they’ve shown has been nothing short of extraordinary. The best news, his tumour was fully resected, and no further treatment is required at this stage. Louis gets to stay home in Geraldton. He will continue with routine MRIs as his team keeps a close and watchful eye.” Behind the scenes, this journey has been immense. Since January alone, the family has made 9 trips to Perth, spending over 4 and a half weeks away from home. In the past 6 months, that’s been 13 trips, around 6 weeks in total. During that time: Justine underwent a double mastectomy. Louis bravely faced multiple procedures, repairing damage from chemotherapy, having half his kidney removed, and another surgery to remove a stent supporting his kidney. This family continues to meet every challenge with strength, courage, and unwavering love for one another.
May 2026
Rosie & Lottie Tamm
The girls turned four — and keep amazing everyone.
We wanted to share an update on two very special girls, Rosie and Lottie. Rosie and Lottie were born unexpectedly at just 26 weeks while visiting Albany from Karratha. Within hours of their arrival, they were flown to Perth for specialist care. Both girls suffered severe brain bleeds, leading to hydrocephalus, and underwent multiple brain surgeries in their first weeks of life. They spent 5 months in hospital fighting through more than most of us could ever imagine. Resuscitation, blood transfusions, oxygen support, feeding challenges, and more. Their journey has remained incredibly intense. Living remotely meant regular emergency flights, hospital stays, and ongoing care. Eventually, their family made the decision to relocate to Albany to be closer to support. Now 4 years old, the girls continue to show incredible strength, spirit & personality. From mum Whitney, here’s a glimpse of the past year. "Rosie and Lottie turned four in March, and the past year has been filled with both challenge & strength. Medically, it has been a difficult road, with emergency visits, hospital stays, and specialist appointments. From seizures that stopped breathing, to kidney infections and stones, hip surgeries, and more, there always seems to be something happening, yet the girls continue to amaze us. Through it all, Rosie and Lottie show unbelievable resilience and adaptability. Rosie’s imagination and speech have flourished. She loves her toys and racing around in her pink car, loudly demanding to go faster, even having her legs in a cast hasn’t slowed her down. Lottie continues to make steady gains, now holding the handlebars on her bike independently, growing stronger in her walker, working hard in physio, and enjoying a big, healthy appetite. Excitingly, the girls will start kindy next year alongside 3 other children with cerebral palsy." Your support helps families like Rosie and Lottie’s access the therapies, care & opportunities that continue to move them forward.
May 2026
Update on Hollie
Our very first Hurt to Help recipient.
We have an update on sweet Hollie, our very first Hurt to Help recipient, a cheeky monkey who never fights the easy fight, but sure does show her fighting spirit every single day. ✨ We have been fortunate to finally have our car’s wheelchair modifications completed, which has been a complete game changer for our family (and for saving Mum and Dad’s backs trying to lift her in and out of the car!). We can now wheel Hollie straight into the car in her wheelchair, which has been amazing. We are trying to keep Hollie’s legs as strong as possible, though we are noticing her strength declining. Her hydrotherapy sessions and walking frame are keeping those legs moving, even if they need a little more help than usual. Hydro is definitely a huge highlight in her week. Her vision has unfortunately also shown signs of deterioration. While that has been tough to hear, it doesn’t appear to be impacting her too significantly at home so far, and we hope it stays that way for quite some time. In the last 12 months we have also had three unexpected surgeries that added a little extra excitement to the usual mix of craziness. Some of Hollie’s favourite activities are disability horseriding, swimming (or any form of water play!), dancing to her favourite tunes, and being outdoors with her favourite people. While Hollie’s life has many ups and downs, and will continue to be a difficult journey, she still LOVES to engage with those around her, has the best deep belly laugh, and is still the cheekiest girl around. Not a single day together is taken for granted — every moment is cherished beyond measure. Hollie is exactly why Hurt to Help exists. Stories like hers are at the heart of our mission.
Aug 2024
Know Someone in Need?
If you know a Western Australian family facing hardship, we want to hear from you. Nominate them to be considered for support from the Hurt to Help community.