They’ve done it again! Each year the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital telethon raises more money than the amount raised from the previous year. This year, the telethon tote board showed a total of $2,202,719 raised to meet the research, medical and emotional needs of the children and families cared for by UVa Children’s Hospital. This far surpasses the 1.8 million dollars raised last year and the 1.7 million dollars raised by the telethon in 2005.
There were many exciting moments during this year’s telethon, including a visit from Ronde Barber, former UVa football player and current corner back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and his twin brother Tiki Barber issued a challenge. The two matched all gifts to UVa Children’s Hospital Telethon up to a total of $50,000, which made all call-in gifts twice as important . Children’s Miracle Network Champion Charley Gorman, who had a stroke and was cared for at the UVa Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center, showed us how determination and care from a loving medical staff can help make miracles happen. It also was special to hear from UVa Children’s Hospital Comeback Kids of the Year, Charley and Amanda Batten who struggled for years with kidney disease and received kidney transplants at UVa Children’s Hospital.
Funds from past telethons have made possible the establishment of a UVa Children’s Hospital Heart Center, helped purchase the first Newborn Emergency Transport System ambulance and funded dozens of UVa Children’s Hospital research projects that benefit the field of pediatric medicine. Thanks to the generosity of one of the country’s most giving communities, the bar for raising funds continues to reach new heights.
