Six-year-old Elizabeth Wagner is a trooper. Diagnosed at birth with spina bifida, a condition in which the spine does not completely form, she already has undergone seven surgeries and continues to be a regular visitor at Duke Children’s Hospital for more tests and procedures. Despite the frequent medical visits, Elizabeth remains unfazed. For Elizabeth, the hospital isn’t as cold and scary as some people think—after all, it’s got video games and clowns.
Jolyne Wagner, Elizabeth’s mother, knows those toys and games, funded by MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM’s annual Radiothon, help make her daughter’s visits to Duke Children’s Hospital more comfortable. “When you’re holding down your child for her second blood test, it really helps that there’s a Barney video on,” she said. “Every little bit helps.”
This year, the 11th annual Radiothon raised more than $740,000, marking its best-ever phone response to WRAL’s fundraiser for Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center.
MIX 101.5 devoted all of its air time to the Radiothon during the four days from Sept. 9 to 12. Bill Jordan and Sheri Logan, hosts of WRAL’s “Bill & Sheri in the Morning,” used musical montages and patient interviews to inspire the public to pledge support. Patients, their parents and doctors told stories that elicited reactions from laughter to tears. Duke football coach Ted Roof and comedian Jeff Foxworthy also supported the effort by participating in on-air interviews.
“I’m very humbled to be associated with these kids and their families,” Jordan said. “They’re the real heroes. Visit them and you’ll be more inspired than by all the fake stuff in Hollywood.”
The $740,082.77 raised this year came primarily from individuals listening to the radio and phoning in pledges, although wholesale retailer Costco and 300 motorcyclists from the national nonprofit organization Ride for Life also made donations.
This year also marked the first ever Piggy Bank Day, in which the hospital encouraged children in the area to donate the contents of their piggy banks. The event was part of Duke Children’s Hospital’s Change Bandits fundraising program that recruits volunteers to gather donations from family and friends. This year more than 200 people participated and raised more than $18,000, according to Duke Children’s Hospital’s website.
To date, the Radiothon has raised more than $6.6 million. Jordan said he hopes that the Radiothon next year will pass the $7 million mark.
The money raised annually by the Radiothon funds clowns, videos, toys, research, parent support groups and bereavement groups, said Kristen Johnson, communications manager at Duke Children’s Hospital. The donations also support Camp Kaleidoscope, a summer program that provides a camp experience for children who have stayed in the hospital.
Jolyne Wagner said she appreciated the public support that comes through Radiothon because illness can strike any family.
“You’d never in the entire world would think that something like this would happen to you,” she said, “but it does.”
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