36 Hours For Kids Radiothon

Wow RVA, you truly amaze us! It was an inspirational weekend at Short Pump Town Center with the 36 Hours For Kids Radiothon benefiting the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Lite98 and Q94 would like to thank all of YOU who tuned in and donated money to aid in the lives of wonderful kids all across Central Virginia.

See the magic from the 36 Hours For Kids Radioathon here! Check out the photos from National Recording Artists like Outasight, Cody Simpson, The Ready Set and some of your favorite local performers as well!

Thank YOU for making a difference for so many during this holiday season!

Did you know that the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU provides care for more than 50,000 children each year in Central Virginia? Did you know that every dollar raised through this event remains in Richmond to support Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and will help treat local children?

Check Out The Photos

Check out the photos from last year's event. See pictures from national recording artists like Outasight, Cody Simpson and The Ready Set!

National Recording Artists- Click The links below to check out the photos
Outasight- Friday, December 7th
Cody Simpson- Friday, December 7th
The Ready Set- Saturday, December 8th

Children's Hospital of Richmond At VCU

Mission

The Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) is changing the lives of thousands of children and their families right here in our community. Children's Hospital of Richmond is a full-service children's hospital that offers a robust continuum of pediatric services, research and education. CHoR has 14 locations in the Greater Richmond area and Fredericksburg, providing a comprehensive scope of services including emergency, pediatric specialty, rehabilitative and long-term care. From teaching a premature infant how to eat by mouth to helping a young adult with cerebral palsy live independently to providing life-saving emergency and critical care, the expertise in pediatric specialty services and commitment to provide compassionate care in a family-centered environment turns hope into healing every day.

Visit the Children's Hospital of Richmond At VCU's Website: www.CHRichmond.org

Local Stories

Hannah, 9-months-old

Afetal cardiologist at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU diagnosed Hannah Weddle with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect, three weeks before she was born. Identifying the defect early made all the difference for Hannah's parents, David and Elizabeth.

"Getting the diagnosis before Hannah was born helped us so much," says David. "We couldn't know exactly what symptoms she would have, but the hospital showed us the possibilities and allowed us to prepare."

Hannah didn't show any symptoms at birth, but a plan was put in place to monitor her development. She was able to go home to spend time with her parents and brothers, Jackson, 8, and Preston, 4, and the cardiology team saw her every few weeks. When she was six months old, the team performed a successful surgery to correct the defect.

"Infants like Hannah that show no external signs of the defect sometimes go undiagnosed at birth, and the family is sent home not knowing that their child has a potentially serious problem," Elizabeth says. "From the very start, we knew that we could trust the hospital to take care of her."

Nathan, 8-years-old

Living with prune belly syndrome, a group of birth defects that involve poor development of the abdominal muscles and urinary tract problems, can be challenging for Nathan Howard and his family, but the eight-year-old is full of surprises.

After years of multiple surgeries to manage complications in his urinary tract, which includes the kidneys and bladder, and physical therapy to help him walk without normal abdominal muscle support, Nathan remains a determined, happy child. The Nephrology team at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU sees Nathan every six weeks to do blood work and make sure that his kidneys are functioning and stable. In the future, Nathan might require a kidney transplant if the organs stop functioning, but he can continue going to school and enjoying normal childhood activities until then.

His parents, Charnette and Anthony, describe Nathan as a "very social little guy" who loves to build things out of Lego blocks, draw, and listen to music. "He also likes to work in the kitchen with me," adds Charnette. "He puts on an apron, gets up on the stepladder and wants to be the chef."

Beckhem, 8-years-old

Just days before his seventh birthday, Beckhem Gemerek developed an unbearable headache of unknown origin that led his parents, Josh and Robin, to bring him to Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. During the first days of what would be a three-week hospital stay, Beckhem suffered a seizure and underwent emergency brain surgery to remove dead tissue and drain excess fluid to relieve pressure on his brain.

"On the day of the surgery, the nurses were great at taking time to explain what was happening," Josh remembers. "It was overwhelming, but we were so impressed with the amount of care, support and attention they gave us."

The surgery helped stabilize Beckhem's condition, but a portion of his cerebellum, which plays a large role in motor control, had to be removed. Over the following months, Beckhem had to relearn how to walk, feed himself, and perform many other basic tasks. Even with these obstacles, he bounced back more quickly than anyone imagined.

"Beckhem is a fighter," says Robin. "He is extremely determined and focused, which helped him get through some very hard times. This couldn't have happened to a stronger kid."

Koren, 2-years-old

On the day she was born, Koren Turpin was diagnosed with a choledochal cyst in her abdomen. A surgeon at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) met with her parents, Tamara and Jarrett, to explain the rare congenital condition and develop a plan to monitor and eventually remove the cyst.

When she was 18 months old, surgeons at CHoR removed the cyst laparoscopically, which required just three small incisions and minimized recovery time. Post-surgery, Koren loved getting presents from visiting relatives in the hospital, where she also enjoyed excursions on the hospital's rooftop play deck.

Koren was discharged after five days and was quickly back to watching Elmo and playing with other kids at her daycare, where she proudly showed off her small scars from the surgery.

"When we brought Koren in for the procedure, the head surgeon introduced us to the whole team of doctors and nurses who would be caring for her at the hospital," remembers Tamara. "It let us know she was in good hands."

Heavenli, 7-years-old

Specialists at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) have been following seven-year-old Heavenli Hill since she was born in order to manage her Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that causes a variety of craniofacial irregularities including a small lower jaw, abnormal ears, and underdeveloped cheekbones.

Heavenli required a tracheotomy to assist with breathing until the team at CHoR's Center for Craniofacial Care performed a complex procedure to expand her jaw and increase the size of her airway. Breathing independently was a huge positive change for Heavenli and her entire family, reducing the amount of nursing support they required and allowing her to improve her speech and attend school unassisted. Additional reconstructive work will be performed over the years as Heavenli grows.

"She's not shy at all," says Carolyn Stump, Heavenli's grandmother. "She loves school and just finished first grade as an honor student. When she grows up she wants to be a doctor, teacher or hair stylist. I tell her she can be anything she wants to be."

Palmer, 4-months-old

To the great surprise of first-time parents Julia and Marc, Palmer Ayscue was born five weeks premature with lungs that had not yet developed completely. He was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU when the delivery team saw that he was in respiratory distress.

Palmer spent a total of 18 days in the NICU with his parents by his side. Once his breathing improved, he was removed from the neonatal incubator and the team turned its attention to addressing feeding issues brought on by the respiratory distress. Marc remembers that removing the feeding tube was a big milestone for the family, because it was "the last tube he was connected to."

Throughout the entire experience, the nursing staff encouraged Julia and Marc to spend as much time as possible with Palmer. "We had 24 hour access and a private room in the NICU, so we got to do all of the important 'firsts' with Palmer, like his first diaper change, feeding, and bath," says Julia. "We still got to feel like new parents, even in the hospital."

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