WalkingYourWay

14/06/2026

Hi Talin...

Hi Dad...

It's your birthday today... You are supposed to be 20 years old...

But you died... 😭

Sorry Dad... I wish it was different and I know that you do too...

None of us wished or wanted Brain Cancer to come to our door...

I wish we had more time for living and being...

Sigh...

I do too Talin... I miss you and your brothers more than you know...

I wonder what you would be like now at 20...

Who would you be as a person, working, studying and getting on with life as a young adult...

I am sure you would be the same sensitive person that you were...

You made it until just 6 and a few short weeks later you would die in my arms Bear Cottage Children's Hospice...

13 weeks from diagnosis is awful...

So what has changed Dad?

Well...

In the last 14 years there has been advancements in some treatment protocols that are kinda teasing around the edges of this dreadful disease...

Your live cell line The Children's Cancer Institute of Australia is one of the very first and is being used in the creation of a new clinical trial under Dr's David Zeigler and Maria Tsoli...

We have The Dun Lab with doing amazing work under the gaze of Josephine, another DIPG child... to Matt and Phoebe...

And there is the 2 people seeing out of your eyes...

Sadly though, there are some treatments, for kids, they last a bit longer but are still going to fly off into the sunset and leave their families...

We are lucky to have brilliant researchers here in Australia and around the World looking for a better treatment, but it is slow...

Still, the treatments are harsh, side effects and treatment related conditions exist and we have to follow Quality of Life otherwise, what's the point...

We still have to do better...

This means more research that costs money...

The willingness for Brain Cancer Research to be fully funded...

It seems that only high profile cases are funded and sadly children don't seem to have a voice...

So we have to do it...

The leading cause of death in children is Brain Cancer...

Birthrates are dropping around the World...

You would think that they would be cared for the priceless beings that they are...

Sorry Talin...

These things make me cross...

I wish you were here having a chat as we celebrate your birthday...

You would have had 2 decades of life experience to share and remember...

Sadly we have only the shortest of 5 years and a month...

Love you to the Stars and back Talin...

Plus a little bit more...

Love you too Dad...

Hugs...

17/05/2026

Today, May 17th, is DIPG Awareness Day...

It is a day of the worst tragedy a parent will ever know...

It is the day that your child is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer...

Without treatment the average time you have left is ~9.5 months...

For some of us it is quicker...

It could be any child...

It was mine son Talin, taken in 13 weeks...

Please support your local charity and foundation that supports research into DIPG / DMG...

It is not Rare...

It is a terrible disease that is neglected...

Children need a Voice...

Be the Voice for DIPG...

Thank you

Gerry Tye

01/05/2026

May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month...

It is the Leading Cause of Death in Children...

It is about as Personal as it gets...

Please raise Awareness for Adults and Children with Brain Cancer...

It is underfunded, under researched and in serious need of Your Help...

Please approach you leaders, charities and foundations and see what you can do to help...

For me it is about my son Talin...

He was 5 years old and was diagnosed with ...

Talin would die in my arms 13 weeks later...

We have to do better...

Please spend the 7 minutes and watch this video...

Sadly

Gerry Tye

Silent Warriors Documentary is thanks to Mighty Maddy and Phoenix Eye Productions...

"Silent Warriors" is a series of 13 sho...

11/04/2026

Diagnosis Day....

Hi Dad...

Hi Talin...

You know that camera you got me...

I took a Selfie...

I know it's two days after diagnosis day, and things have changed for me...

I was running around last week and now I am not so much...

I have this special tube in my nose that feeds food and medicine into my tummy...

I don't know what is wrong with me, but are glad you are here...

You know I am a smart kid and I think this is something big...

I can see it in your face and hear it in your voice...

Sigh...

I know Talin... We will all do whatever we can for you...

I wish I could take your place...

Dad...

- This is one of the first times I have looked at these images -

The photos that Talin took himself to document what would be the end of his life...

Yes, there are more, including video and the response, even after 14 years is visceral...

There is no getting over the awfulness of Diagnosis Day, when your World crashes and burns when you love child is diagnosed with DIPG and will die in ~9.5 months...

At the time the treatment was radiotherapy and steroids...

Nothing else...

We didn't finish radiotherapy, and were shipped off to Bear Cottage Children's Hospice...

From today the 11th of April, till ~ 13 weeks was all we had left of this Brightest of Stars...

We all wonder how much do the know... and for all the children I have been involved in end of life over the years...

They know a lot...

They try and protect You from the hurt they see as they have caused you...

They are Selfless and Magnificent...

They inspire me to keep going...

I miss you and your brothers to the Stars and back Talin...

Plus a little bit more...

Shine on You Crazy Diamond...

Love

Dad...