Talan is a bright and bubbly kid who is always trying to make people laugh. He’s also a keen and capable fisherman.

Just before his sixth birthday Talan developed a limp, began to fall over often, and complained of pain in his knees.

Over the next six months, Talan’s parents Alexis and Jamie took Talan to seven different doctors searching for answers.

It was only when the 7th doctor, a Muscular Skeletal Specialist, saw Talan walking into his office and identified the problem was with his hips and not his knees that progress was made.

The very next day Talan was diagnosed with Perthes Disease, a rare condition of the hip joint.

Eventually, the family was forced to relocate to their nearest major city to receive the specialist care Talan needed.

Because Perthes Disease effects his bones, Talan has had to miss out on so much of what his mates are doing.

“No running, no jumping, no team sports or school sporting activities. This is where we have seen the sadness with Talan,” says Alexis.

For Talan’s Starlight Wish, he travelled to Sydney with mum, dad, and big brother Jayden for a much-needed family adventure.

Of course, a fishing charter was first on the list, followed by Taronga Zoo for giraffe feeding, and a sightseeing helicopter ride. Talan also had an incredible time with the NSW mounted police and their horses, which ended up being one of the highlights of his Wish.

Today Talan is doing really well, and has just been cleared to start trying some of the activities he’s been missing out on. He and his family are looking forward to making some fun family memories on Happiness Island, and meeting other families who understand what they’ve been through.