Station WTLC-AM The Light (1310) hopes to generate waves of support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where no family ever receives a bill,through the annual Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids national radio event on April 5.
The all-day event begins at 6 a.m. with the Yolanda Adams Morning Show and ends at 11 p.m. with CoCo Brother Live.
The Radio Cares event highlights St. Jude patient stories, story song vignettes and radio promotions. Four-year-old Kennedi, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, is just one of the tens of thousands of children who are currently receiving the best medical care from St. Jude.
Every child saved at St. Jude means thousands more saved worldwide. No family ever receives a bill from St. Jude. The hospital covers the cost of treatment, travel, lodging and food for a patient and a family member.
Last year, WTLC-AM (1310) listeners raised more than $19,000 for the kids of St. Jude and has raised more than $95,000 to date.
“St. Jude has come to the rescue of Indianapolis area children and their families time and again. Our station’s support of St. Jude is a decision we make on behalf of our residents and our listeners,” said Chuck Williams, WTLC general manager. “It’s a decision we make for them, so they can offer their support. We provide the conduit for our listeners to connect and support St. Jude, whose team unabashedly supports Indiana.”
This year, the Indianapolis community is helping St. Jude celebrate 50 years of treating some of the world’s sickest children with the best care. It costs $1.7 million daily to run St. Jude and 75 percent of the operating costs are paid by public contributions through programs like Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids.
WTLC-FM (1310) is joining 10 participating Radio One, Inc. affiliated markets representing a variety of formats for the annual event. Radio One is the largest radio broadcasting operation primarily targeting African-American and urban listeners. Since 2002, Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids has generated more than $14 million for St. Jude.
When St. Jude opened its doors 50 years ago in Memphis, Tenn., it was the first fully integrated children’s hospital in the South. African-American and white patients were treated in the same rooms; they dined together; and bathroom facilities were integrated. St. Jude was the first to develop a cure for sickle cell disease with a bone marrow transplant and has one of the largest pediatric sickle cell programs in the country, treating about 800 children a year. In addition, St. Jude shares these discoveries with doctors everywhere.
