Radio for kids. The on-air personalities of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group across the province lend their voices to the cause in the lobby of the new Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

children's health care

Radiothon speaks to the power of giving for new children’s hospital

Nov 6, 2019 | 1:27 PM

Around a dozen broadcasters from around the province, including our own personalities from the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, are playing their role in the first provincial radiothon for the new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon.

The event runs today and tomorrow.

Teena Monteleone with 900 CKBI in Prince Albert said donations are coming from the corporate and private world across Saskatchewan.

“From the likes of Rush Lake – I had to look that up to see where that was – to La Ronge, Prince Albert, Beauval, all over the province, people have been donating and that’s really nice to see,” she said from the broadcast area.

Radio stations from Prince Albert (900 CKBI, Power 99, XFM) were joined by their counterparts from Melfort (CJVR FM, 750 Beach Radio), North Battleford and Meadow Lake (1050 CJNB, Q98, 93.3 The Rock), as well as other media outlets in the lobby of the new world class facility.

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The public and businesses are encouraged to donate to the hospital’s foundation to raise funds for expanded programs.

“Nutrien for example, was matching donations up to $25,000 this morning, and also a donation was to be matched up to $75,000 thanks to the generosity of an anonymous ‘angel’ who left a legacy for children and families across Saskatchewan,” Monteleone reported.

Morning show host on 105 CJVR in Melfort, Cristy Beggs, said the atmosphere in the new facility was special.

“Families — you can see how much more at ease they are being in this facility,” she said. “The kids, they’re having fun in between their appointments, there’s more room, and it’s built for these kids and these families so it was really neat to talk to some of these kids.”

The sense of giving for the radiothon was perhaps best encapsulated by the actions of up-and-coming country music artist Justin Labrash from Lumsden who donated to the foundation for a number of years.

“I’ve taken a percentage of my revenue every year and donated it back to the hospital foundation,“ he said. “It’s a cause that I definitely believe in. I had some health problems when I was a kid so it’s something that is close to my heart.”

Now that the multi-million dollar hospital is up and running, the focus is on raising funds to ensure expanded programming can be offered. However, Dr. Laurence Givelichian, a member of the foundation board and a driving influence in the design of the new facility, was eager to highlight the reach of the many health care professionals who will lend their expertise across Saskatchewan.

“This is a style of hospital that really connects the province,” he said. “It represents the hub for the pediatrics programs here [in Saskatoon], but they will reach the furthest and most remote areas according to the needs of the children no matter how sick they are.”

He said the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital had been designed with the help of children and families and one of their aims was to reduce the stress of the whole experience for patients.

“These kids will get better sooner and will be discharged sooner,” he said.

You can donate by calling: 1-888-808-KIDS (5437) or online at pattisonchildrens.ca

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow