WWL and Audacy New Orleans listeners helped Manning Family Children's in a big way during last week's radiothon.
This year, you helped raise more than $172,000 for the only freestanding children's hospital in the state of Louisiana. The total for this year's donations is $20,000 more than last year's total and marks the largest amount raised in the Light Up the Season Radiothon's history. Plus, another $5,000 to $7,000 in funds will come from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performance portion of the fundraiser.
None of this could be possible without you! WWL wants to give a huge thanks to our presenting sponsors, the Ray and Jessica Brandt Family, Trane South, Kia of Covington, and Hooters of Louisiana. We also want ot thank all of our supporting sponsors, Doerr Furniture, Trapp Cadillac Chevrolet, First American Bank, Demo 911, Goodwill of Louisiana, Perfume Headquarters/Logo Express, and Earthsavers Spa.
Finally, we want to thank all those who participated in WWL's 14-hour broadcast, which included the patients, patient-parents, doctors, specialists, hospital staff, and donors. Your stories help drive the spirit of giving by highlighting the vital work Manning Family Children's provides for over 500,000 patients in the Gulf South every year.
Manning Family Children's CEO Lou Fragoso told WWL's Newell Normand that the money raised during the Radiothon will help the hospital not only continue to treat children from across Louisiana but also help its team of doctors and researchers continue to find cures and new ways combat childhood illnesses, including sickle cell anemia.
"We're not just healing, we're giving dreams back," Fragoso said, adding that people can continue to contribute through the Manning Family Children's website. "The community realizes the amazing work that happens . . . what these doctors and what these care teams do. The problems that impact the children of our community become our problems, and your children's hospital is running towards those problems, saving lives (and) changing lives. Every dollar you give goes to that mission."
Jessica Brandt, who served as the presenting sponsor of this year's event, told Normand that the hospital and the radiothon are near and dear to her heart and her family.
"A year-and-a-half ago, my granddaughter--my seventh granddaughter--was born under a pound, and because of the miraculous work of the doctors at Children's . . . my Addie is now a year-and-a-half," Brandt said. "She is a little chunk ball, and she is incredible. She's been through many surgeries. She's been through eye surgery, heart surgery, (and) she was on lung intubater for six months. These doctors saved her life. They're incredible! Absolutely incredible! And I look around at some of the other families that go through the same thing, and you pray morning, noon, and night that your baby survives. When you're at Manning Children's Hospital, you know that there's no better care than anywhere in this world than you can get right there."
Fragoso says it truly took a village to make this year's radiothon a success.
"Again, I can't say 'thank you' enough to our community, to your listeners, to Jessica Brandt, (and) to you, Newell, for what you guys have done in sharing our story," Fragoso said. "You allow this magical work to happen (and) give lives back and futures back. I'm just so proud to be part of this organization (and) so proud of our physicians and our care teams and our community. Thank you so much."