The Channel Seven Telethon Trust is a registered charity with a philosophy that financially supports the medical and social welfare of children and young people and funds research into children’s diseases.
In 1968 the board of Channel 7 Perth made a conscious decision to serve the community and created a continuous 20 hour broadcast to raise money called "Telethon". The first appeal raised $104,829 - a lot of money in 1968.
A charitable trust was registered with an independent group of people dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people throughout Western Australia appointed as Trustees whose role would be to decide on where the funds were distributed each year.