Telethon 2024: The day happiness came visiting to a children’s hospital with Guy Sebastian and Channel 7 stars

For many of the brave youngsters at Perth Children’s Hospital being sick is not much fun.

Some days can be a challenge and for some, it can be filled with immense pain.

But for several hours on Saturday, the day was filled with excitement, joy and a little bit of music thanks to some very special visitors and Telethon.

None were more excited than Matilda Pitts — the inspirational teenager whose battle with cancer featured in The West Australian this weekend.

Tilly, as she is known, loves Guy Sebastian and was over the moon when the Aussie popstar — who is in Perth for the annual fundraising event — held a special performance at the Starlight Express Room at PCH.

The 13-year-old couldn’t stop smiling when she met her idol telling The Sunday Times she was thrilled he sang her favourite song, Choir, to a specially-invited crowd.

She was also ecstatic that he gave her a signed guitar and posed for a few selfies — pictures the teen said she will cherish.

Another youngster who could not wait to meet the ARIA award-winning musician was 11-year-old Jade Martin.

But it was not the first time she had met Sebastian.

When Jade was six she was diagnosed with brain cancer and spent several months in and out of hospital.

It was during one of those visits the host of Channel Seven’s, The Voice, posed for a photo with her.

And on Saturday the plucky pre-teen managed to re-create that moment.

When asked what she was going to do with the photos, Jade said she was going to send it to her friends and “brag”.

She also said she loved the fact he sang Choir, also her favourite song.

Before he belted out his smash hit, and his other big number, Battle Scars, Sebastian told those in attendance how happy he was to be back in WA and how the kids inspired him.

“You guys are so inspirational,” he said. “There are adults that have never gone through the things that you have gone through. So, you guys are amazing.

“You’re so inspirational, and you’ll see how much the whole State and the whole country and the whole world is behind you over this weekend.”

The former Australian Idol winner was not the only celebrity who spent the day helping to help make WA’s sick kids smile ahead of this year’s Telethon.

Sunrise presenters Matt Shirvington and Natalie Barr, Johanna Griggs from Better Homes and Gardens, Home and Away’s James Stewart, Hailey Pinto and Matt Evens, and home-grown popstar Samantha Jade also stopped by the wards of PCH to chat to the brave youngsters and their stoic parents.

The stars also handed out activity bags and posed for selfies.

Children’s entertainer Emma Memma was also bopping and twirling her way around PCH much to the delight of some of the younger patients.

One of those was little Margo Maguiness who could not wait to meet the former Wiggle.

The four-and-a-half-year-old was grinning from ear to ear when Emma Memma gave her a prized sticker.

But it was Home and Away’s Kyle Shilling who managed to make her laugh using his acting skills to become a butterfly.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton, in Perth for the Liberal State Conference and Telethon, also took time out of his busy schedule to visit PCH to meet with those who have benefited from the generous contributions made by everyday West Australians.

As part of his tour, Mr Dutton met with Chris Bennett and his 14-month-old son Joseph who has been in PCH for the past 10 weeks after almost drowning in a pool.

The toddler was in the water for 30 minutes before he was rushed to hospital in Kalgoorlie.

Mr Bennett told The Sunday Times that doctors spent more than two hours trying to revive him before telling him there was nothing else they can do.

He then said he picked up his son and prayed to God and claimed his son’s heart began beating again.

The pair were then rushed to PCH by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and have been at the hospital since.

Mr Bennett said he can’t thank the staff enough for all they have done for Joseph.

He said he has received so much support that it has enabled him to concentrate on the one thing that matters, his son.

“Everyone here has been truly amazing,” Mr Bennett said. “I can’t express my gratitude enough.”

Awe was also on display at the Telethon Breakfast on Saturday, where former Special Forces soldier Ant Middleton was moved by the courage and resilience of Noah Johnson, who read aloud a letter he’d written to the TV presenter.

There were tears in Middleton’s eyes as 12-year-old Noah, battling cancer in his back and spine, spoke of the arduous and energy-sapping treatment he was undergoing.

“I’m meant to be the hard, tough Ant Middleton and then just looking at Noah and hearing his the words coming out . . . it hit my heart,” the presenter of SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins said.

“What he’s been through and what he’s going through is more than what I’ve ever put myself through.”