Inspiring stories of life-changing care featured during 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children's Hospital
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The 24th annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children's Hospital, presented by Hyundai Hope on Wheels, begins Tuesday, bringing the community together to support vital pediatric care in western Massachusetts.
The event, held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will run from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days. Hosted by the Kellogg Krew, the live broadcast will feature inspiring stories from patients, hospital staff, and community members, highlighting the life-changing care provided by Baystate Children's Hospital.
Spring has sprung at the Smith College Botanic Bulb Show
Attendees of the Radiothon will have the chance to walk the red carpet, take photos, meet the Kellogg Krew, and make donations to support pediatric healthcare services.
The public can contribute in multiple ways:
Visit WMASKids.com
Text WMASKIDS to 51555
Call the Lia Auto Group Phone Bank at 413-794-1111 during the event
Among the many personal journeys shared will be that of Emilia Cecchetelli, the 2025 Children's Miracle Network Ambassador for Baystate Children's Hospital.
Born prematurely at just 26 weeks, Emilia spent 143 days in the Davis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit battling chronic lung disease and craniosynostosis, a condition affecting skull development. Her story is a testament to the dedication of the hospital's medical team and the power of community support.
Eight-year-old Ryan Caney was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Three years ago, he came down with a cold and began to complain that his feet hurt. Over days, this started to work its way up his body causing him to stop walking. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder where your body's immune system mistakenly attacks its nervous system.
Ryan was the 2024 Children's Miracle Network Ambassador for Baystate Children's Hospital and had the chance to go to Disney World, where he was featured during Children's Hospital Week.
Lulu is a 5-year-old girl who underwent surgery for Retropharyngeal abscess and peritonsillar abscess after complaining of neck pain. It's a rare infection that can occur in the neck and throat. After treatment, Lulu has fully recovered and no longer needs extra care.
'Each year, I feel so inspired by the stories we are able to share and the families we are able to meet,' said Chris Kellogg of 94.7 WMAS. 'Baystate Children's Hospital plays such a critical role in our community, and we are happy to support it in any way we can.'
'It really is incredible what our community can accomplish when we come together for an important cause,' said Kathy Tobin, Interim Vice President of Philanthropy at Baystate Health and Executive Director of the Baystate Health Foundation. 'As the only accredited, full-service children's hospital in western Massachusetts, the Radiothon helps provide vital funding for care that spans our region.'
Baystate Children's Hospital is part of the Children's Miracle Network, a nationwide network of 170 hospitals dedicated to improving children's health. All funds raised during the Radiothon stay local, directly benefiting pediatric programs and services at Baystate Children's Hospital.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
$1.2 million raised for kids' health care in Eastern N.C.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The 40th annual Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Celebration Broadcast raised more than $1.2 million dollars to support pediatric care across eastern North Carolina. According to a press statement, the telethon raised an outstanding $1,278,873 to support pediatric care across eastern North Carolina, bringing the cumulative total raised to $35,680,524. 'This year's Celebration Broadcast was incredibly special, marking 40 years of support for Children's Miracle Network and bringing together those who have made a difference,' said Elise Ironmonger, Director of Programs at the ECU Health Foundation. 'It was amazing to reflect on this journey and connect with our dedicated supporters. We also honored the generous businesses, community groups and individuals whose commitment will continue to save lives and bring hope to the children at Maynard Children's Hospital.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Camp Courage teaches understanding life's end to those just beginning theirs
There's nothing like a good water balloon fight to clear one's head. Especially when your head still has bits of rubber clinging to it from your new friend's thrown balloon that hit you a few seconds earlier. But it wasn't all water balloons at Camp Courage Thursday. Held at Hendrick Hospice Care, the long-running annual camp each summer teaches children strategies on how to process the loss of a loved one. 'Our purpose is to acknowledge and affirm the reality of children's grief,' Adrianna Golden-Smith, camp director, said. 'Kiddos experience loss and the wide breadth of all that comes with that experience in small bodies but in large ways.' The week-long course is open to children who are entering the third grade to high school seniors. This year's camp featured about 40 kids. To process grief, you need to understand it. Camp Courage asks the children to explore the nature of grief, how it is expressed, what it can physically feel like and its relationship with guilt, anger and regret. 'We recognize that we only get five days with them, and then they go home and continue their lives, and their grief never leaves,' Golden-Smith said. 'So, we focus on sustainability — giving them coping skills that are accessible and portable.' That can be by using pencil and paper to write or draw it, as well as healthy physical activity to pull attention away from intense emotions for a mental break. Remaining connected to that lost loved one is also emphasized. 'I do have some kids that come back year after year. As they develop and grow, sometimes that grief changes with them, and so they've got different things that they need to explore,' she said. 'Or, unfortunately, sometimes life keeps coming, and they've got additional losses that they are also needing to process.' The program is funded by the Children's Miracle Network, and aside from a $10 registration, is free of charge to attending children. 'And I will waive that in a heartbeat if it's a financial hardship,' she said. Golden-Smith, who is also the bereavement coordinator for Hendrick Hospice, said the organization also offers a morning adult caregiver support group that meets Monday through Thursday each week. 'We want to give our caregivers the opportunity to also learn about children's grief and have a space to connect with others who are grieving their own loss and trying to support their kiddos,' she said. Courage isn't limited to one week in the summer, however. 'We also have other programs throughout the year,' Golden-Smith said. 'We've got a six-week children's grief support group that meets in the spring and the fall called Club Courage, as well as a holiday grief workshop for families. And then lots of adult programs as well.' Visit the Hendrick Hospice Care website for more information. More: When is the southside Braum's opening in Abilene? More: What to know about the upcoming 2025 Children's Art and Literacy Festival This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Water games help keep children afloat at Hendrick Hospice Camp Courage
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Firefighters Credit Heroic Golden Retriever with Saving Family from Dangerous Blaze
A house in Bakersfield, California, caught fire in the early hours of May 24 The family dog, Lulu, noticed something was wrong, woke everyone up, and helped everyone get out of the house The Bakersfield Fire Department is praising Lulu for her "heroic efforts"A family escaped a house fire — thanks to their "heroic" dog. On May 24, the Bakersfield Fire Department responded to a call about a house fire in southwest Bakersfield, California, per local outlet BakersfieldNow. The family inside was still asleep when the blaze began. Luckily, their attentive dog Lulu noticed something was wrong. According to a Facebook post from the fire department, Lulu the golden retriever noticed flames outside her home and woke up her family before the fire spread enough to trap them inside the burning house. "The Bakersfield Fire Department was quick to respond to a house fire in Southwest Bakersfield this morning. The family is safe thanks to the heroic efforts of the family dog Lulu. The fire started on the outside of the house. All of the family are safe because she woke them up and helped them get out of the house quickly," the agency shared in a social media post alongside a photo of brave Lulu. The family, including Lulu, escaped the two-alarm without any injuries, per BakersfieldNow. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The outlet added that firefighters arrived around 4 a.m. local time and spent over four hours putting out the blaze. The house sustained substantial damage from the fire. Thousands of animal lovers reacted to the Bakersfield Fire Department's post about Lulu's life-saving, with many complimenting the dog. "Get that dog a giant steak! Well done!" one commenter wrote. Aww Way to go Lulu!! Dogs are so smart and so loyal!!" wrote another. Read the original article on People
