Byron Waller flies across Australia to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease

A 14-year-old has returned home after flying over 11,000km around Australia to raise awareness.

Bryon Wallen adventures around Australia raising awareness for Crohn's disease. Photo: Supplied

A young pilot has flown around Australia to raise awareness for a debilitating disease – now he’s set his sights on flying around the world to find a cure.

Byron Waller was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in February of this year and used his new passion for flight to raise awareness and funding for Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation and Crohn’s disease research.

Bryon Waller flying across Australia to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease. Photo: Supplied

The 14-year-old was accompanied by his instructor Rod Flockhart and dad Rob Waller as he flew more than 11,000km, stopping in places like the Whitsundays, Horn Island, Karumba, Darwin, Mt Hart Station and Mallacoota.

He even made a stop at the space centre in Carnarvon.

“I’ve learned a lot of new skills through flying, flight planning, radio calls and weather patterns,” he said.

14-year-old Byron Waller has flown across the country to raise funds for Queensland’s Children's Hospital Foundation and Crohn’s disease research. Picture: John Gass

“It was amazing seeing the whole scenery, meeting new people in communities and experiencing all of Australia.

“We had some bad weather and rain over the Nullarbor and nearly got stranded on a flooded runway at Caiguna but just managed to take off and continue.”

Byron said he has been inspired by meeting other children and plans to continue his journey solo across the globe next year.

“Next time I am going to do it by myself and I’m going to do the world, near the end of next year when I get my recreational pilot’s licence,” he said.

“(I want to) figure out how other countries manage and treat Crohn’s disease and what the prevalence is on other parts of the world.

Bryon Wallen flew across Australia to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease. Picture: Supplied

“I’ve met a lot of people who have gone through the same thing and just look at them wow like I can overcome this, and it brings me back to what it was like when I was in hospital.”

He spent nine months in Queensland Children’s Hospital, including time before he was formally diagnosed, but has since greatly improved.

He said he hopes the funds he has raised from his trip will go into research to help other kids fighting the disease.

“I met a boy called Daniel in the hospital today, who is similar to me, he has been there for nine days and he is malnourished and underweight,” he said.

“Teaching people about diets, and what they can do to help themselves when they have a flare and what food to eat when you’re in remission.”

Byron’s fundraiser has since raised more than $16,000.