JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Day one of the Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon is in the books.
The region’s only hospital just for kids is raising money for community programs this year.
News Channel 11’s Justin Soto found out why a lot of people, especially one local girl, have high hopes for a big finish on Tuesday.
Patiance Gardner turned 12-years-old on Sunday. She had just one birthday wish.
“I want everybody to have the chance to feel better and not be sick and do everything they want to do and just fight through their sickness,” Gardner said.
She wants people in our community to donate to the Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon, because she knows what it’s like.
“She was born with a very rare immune deficiency. She had numerous illnesses from the time she was born and we just kept taking her to the doctor and seeing different specialists and not really knowing why she she was getting so sick,” Patiance’s mother Gwen said.
For her family, the Niswonger Children’s Hospital is a life-line.
“She can come here, every 3 weeks, and this will be for a life time to get these infusions and they help build up her body so she’s able to fight off the viruses and illnesses,” Gwen Gardner said.
Money raised this year, will go to help kids be well so they don’t have to come to the hospital.
“The money this year goes to support the children’s resource center. So what that is is just the umbrella and arm of resources that reach outside of the hospital to provide community programs and support for kids all throughout the region,” Niswonger Children’s Hospital CEO, Lisa Carter said.
One of the outreach programs is the “Morning Mile,” that gets local kids up and moving before school.
Back at the children’s hospital, final preps for the Tuesday Radiothon finale are underway.
Tuesday is the final day of the Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon – one of its biggest fundraisers of the year.
Phones open again Tuesday morning at 7.
The number to call is 855-611-KIDS.
We’ll have live reports from the children’s hospital throughout the day Tuesday.
To learn more about the Radiothon and how you can help visit http://www.niswongerchildrensradiothon.com/.
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