Two lucky winners of the annual Telethon car giveaway were presented with keys to brand new 2025 Hyundai i30 sedan N Line vehicles on October 19, 2023. Ken Panici-Allen and Mal Trenfield celebrated their good fortune, which came as a result of their generous donations to the charity dedicated to helping sick children.
Ken Panici-Allen, the metro winner, expressed his delight, stating, “It’s the best $1,000 I’ve spent in my life.” The 74-year-old donated the money in honour of his wife, who is currently undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. His intention was to have her name featured during the Telethon, making it a special moment for both of them.
“We’ve been donating to Telethon for years and I encourage everybody else to go out there and spend that money every year, because those kids really need it,” he said. Panici-Allen recalled the moment the couple received the surprise visit from Seven’s Larry Emdur and football star Patrick Cripps. “I jokingly said to my wife, ‘Larry is going to drop a car off in a minute,’ right before the knock on the door.”
Panici-Allen described the happiness on his wife’s face when she met Emdur, who entered their home with a big yellow microphone. He noted that the spacious and comfortable car would significantly ease the process of taking his wife to medical appointments, especially since they use a wheelchair. “I had to check if a wheelchair would fit in the boot,” he added.
Longtime Supporter Mal Trenfield Shares His Joy
The regional winner, Mal Trenfield, hails from Geraldton and has been supporting Telethon since its inception. He donated $100 this year, which turned out to be a rewarding investment. “I remember back in the early 70s, it was a big thing with Mum, and we used to come back from the country,” Trenfield shared. “We just continued donating every year.”
Trenfield was watching the Telethon live when he received the winning call but accidentally hung up on Emdur during the excitement. “I was talking to my son, and just at that moment, Larry said, ‘I will ring Mal from Geraldton.’ I put my son on hold and hung up on Larry! I thought that was the end of it, but then he called me back,” he said with a laugh.
Describing the moment as “unbelievable,” Trenfield expressed his gratitude for winning. He has personal connections to the cause, having seen family members struggle with health issues, including premature births. “Our family’s baby went through a lot, and they fixed him up at Perth Children’s Hospital. We will continue to donate.”
Telethon Achieves Record Fundraising Total
The keys to the new cars were presented by Perth 7NEWS presenter Rick Ardon, who emphasized that all West Australians are winners. “The biggest benefit of all is seeing how much we raise to help sick kids in WA. Telethon gets better every year,” he noted, recalling his own childhood memories of watching the event.
This year’s Telethon raised an astonishing $90,160,275, surpassing last year’s total of $83,264,216. Since its inception in 1968, the event has now generated over $750 million for children in need.
The enthusiasm from both winners reflects the deep sense of community spirit that Telethon fosters, encouraging participants to support a noble cause while potentially winning exciting prizes.
