Caring for Kids Radiothon Raises $1,825,291!

10 year total at $15.3 Million for the Alberta Children's Hospital

CALGARY, Feb. 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Listeners of the 10th annual Country 105 Caring For Kids Radiothon once again responded with overwhelming generosity, setting a new record for the annual event. Tonight, during the final hour, on-air personalities from Country 105 announced that their three-day event raised over $1.8 million for the Alberta Children's Hospital, bringing the overall radiothon total to more than $15.3 million!

75 families whose children have received life-changing and life-altering care from the Alberta Children's Hospital shared their stories on air as their way of saying thank you to their doctors, nurses and therapists. Country music star and former nurse Paul Brandt again co-hosted with the Country 105 FM announcers and sang for everyone in hospital.

"While it's hard to believe this was our tenth Radiothon, it is very exciting and rewarding to look back and see the incredible advancements in care that have been made at our hospital thanks to the generosity of our donors," says Saifa Koonar, President and CEO of the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation. "As a community we should feel truly proud of what we have achieved together over the past decade. By sharing in the joy and heartache of our families and caregivers, we have strengthened the spirit of our community."

"We were approached by the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation about Radiothon over 10 years ago now, and of course, we were on board. Radiothon felt like the right thing to do and it was a perfect fit for our listeners," says Phil Kallsen, Director of Country Programming, Corus Radio Alberta. "I don't think any of us could have predicted just how much this event would impact us. It really is a privilege to share the stories of these kids and families at the hospital. It's the most meaningful thing we do all year."

The Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation raises funds for excellence in child health, research and family centred care. Through the generosity of donors, the Foundation provides funding for innovative programs, state-of-the-art equipment, advanced medical training and internationally-recognized pediatric research.

The official phone bank sponsor of this year's event was Brookfield Residential - committed to creating communities with passion and integrity for over 50 years.

Radiothon is a Children's Miracle Network initiative. Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization helping kids by raising funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America. In Canada, Children's Miracle Network raises funds for 14 children's hospitals, and has raised more than $200 million since its inception. www.childrensmiraclenetwork.ca

Radiothon is sponsored by Foresters™ across North America.  Founded in 1874, Foresters™ helps individuals and families achieve financial security with its innovative portfolio of life insurance products and annuities. Foresters shares its financial strength with its members, who are customers, through complimentary life, health and education benefits that help its more than 735,000 eligible members and their families in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Foresters provides opportunities that inspire its members to make a difference in their communities. www.foresters.com

SOURCE: Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation

Justine Clay, Manager, 
Community Engagement
Ph. [phone] or [email protected]