Richie McDonald performs at the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise

Richie McDonald was one of the many performers at the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise. The Children's Promise is a fundraiser supporting the programs of the N.C. Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C. Richie dedicated his song, "I'm Already There," to Josh, a patient who wasn't able to leave his room to hear the performance.

Thanks to Richie and all of the performers, staff, doctors, and volunteers who helped make the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise a huge success.

Eric Church performs at the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise

Eric Church was one of the many performers at the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise. The Children's Promise is a fundraiser supporting the programs of the N.C. Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Thanks to Eric and all of the performers, staff, doctors, and volunteers who helped make the 2009 N.C. Children's Promise a huge success.

A quick word from UNC Hospitals' Chief of Staff

Jason Michael Caroll performs...

Today marked Jason's fourth performance at the Children's Promise radiothon/telethon. A huge crowd gathered for his show - he's popular around here, and not just for his music. Jason is a huge supporter of Children's Promise and knows many patients by name. After every song, he told a story about a UNC child who'd touched his life.

Craig Morgan performing at the Children's Promise

N.C. Children's Promise and Community

The N.C. Children's Promise partners with the community to help make a difference and change the lives of children throughout the state.

A DJs perspective

The N.C. Children's Hospital has teamed up with Curtis Media and News 14 for the 8th Annual N.C. Children's Promise. The stories that surface from the event touch everyone.

Kicking off the Children's Promise

The 8th Annual N.C. Children's Promise is not only a fundraising event, but a time to celebrate the lives of children touched by the staff of the N.C. Children's Hospital.

My name is Aaron Mervin. I am a patient at the Children's Hospital. I love the hospital and everything about it. CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS THE BEST!!!

Under way in 2009

The 2009 N.C. Children's Promise is live from the N.C. Children's Hospital today. Join us throughout the day in the lobby, on Curtis Media Group radio stations and on News 14 Carolina.

The Children's Promise helps our patients like Erick Gomez-Fuentes, who was born with Prune Belly Syndrome, a defect that occurs once in every 40,000 births. Erick has been at UNC Hospitals since his birth in 2008 and has already touched the hearts of the doctors and nurses on his floor.

Visit www.ncchildrenspromise.org to make a donation or learn more about the Children's Promise.

A few words from Darius Rucker

Hey ya'll its me Darius and i have got to say that the love and caring i felt today at this hospital is overwhelming. To be here and just be a part of something so special is a honor. As i walked thru the corridors everyone felt the need to thank me, to all those people; I am here for one day, you guys do this everyday so please don't thank me..........THANK ALL OF YOU!!!!!!

Halle

We began our journey at UNC Hospital with the birth of a little girl Halle Purvis, She weighed one pound 7 ounces. We were able to bring her home 3 days short of her 1st birthday thanks to all of the wonderful Doctors and nurses that are now our extended famiy. We can never thank them enough for all they have done.

A Dance Marathon for the Children's Hospital

Hi! I'm Marley Pluta, a senior member of Wake-Forest Rolesville's Social Organization and services club. Every year we hold a Dance Marathon to raise money for Duke and UNC's childrens hospital through business sponsership and student donations. Our group is dedicated to community service, and our club advisor, Mike Meyer is a great man who has helped us organize the Dance Marathon. Last year we took a trip to Penn States Dance-a-thon to learn some tips to make this years Dance Marathon even better. We love helping the two hospitals and people in need. The Dance Marathon is a six hour dance, with a lazer show, a dj, and food from a local pizza restaurant. It's usually held at the end of the school year, and it is annual. This year we raised a total of over 18,00$, 8,500$ of which went to UNC. Please help this and any other hospitals to take care of the sick children, the ones who really need it.

Baby Rylee 1.1 lbs

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Hi! Our story is about our youngest daughter, Rylee Grace! She was born 3 months (26 4/7 weeks gestational) early on November 14, 2007. Her original due date was February 16, 2008. She weighed 1 pound, 1 ounce (486 grams) and was 11.5 inches long. My husband describes her as the size of his Razor cell phone, however, I think the cell phone weighed more! Rylee spent the first 3 months (88 days) of her life in the UNC NICU. We were so lucky to end up at UNC - we were welcomed in as part of the family. Her primary nurses, Tiffany, Rene and Linda, were absolute angels. Without them and everyone involved with the NICU at UNC we would not have gotten through this ordeal as well as we did. Dr. South, Dr. Bose, Dr. Grebe and Jonathan were Rylee's doctor's throughout. Again, absolute angels. There were times we felt intimidated by them, and some times they down right scared us to death. In looking back, I wouldn't have asked for anything else.

It took me two days before I could come up with the strength to go and see Rylee. The pod was dark with just night lights on - I was taken back to the corner by a window where Rylee was. OMG. I could not believe my eyes - I kept looking for something to give me a sign that she was going to be OK, that she didn't look all that bad, that she was close to looking like a regular full-term newborn and you know nothing struck me except for how small she was. And how in the world is this baby going to make it. I was basically in shock - I was afraid to touch her, I didn't cry - I was just numb. It wasn't until this child who was placed on her side with all kinds of wires and monitors and stuff stuck to her lifted her tiny little body up on her own by her itty bitty legs - that I thought to myself WOW she is strong. I was truly amazed and at that point I thought man this kid has some fight in her - she is strong and determined. And that in the end is exactly our little Rylee!

Rylee beat the odds and for that we consider her our little miracle! She was delivered via emergency c-section due to mommy battling high blood pressure and going into organ failure. She was delivered successfully and was crying or meowing as I like to describe it when she came out - most importantly she was breathing! Dr. South came over and told me that he was going to put the tube in her and hook her up to the ventilator. This was at 11:57A, November 14th - by that evening - I'd say around 7P or so she was removed from the ventilator and never looked back! She was placed on CPAP and then removed from CPAP on November 24, 2007 and then placed on high flow oxygen until February 1, 2008. Her kidney's were an issue in the begining - so she was born on a Wednesday and that Sunday they informed us that her urine output was very low and that renal failure could be occuring they gave Furosemide (Lasix) and her urine input improved and eventually was normal - thank god. We were so scared. Rylee was anemic and received 4 blood transfusions but like everything else she overcame this as well. She had bouts of desating during her feedings which was very unnerving but we became immune to the alarms on the monitors and just came to realize as the nurses put it "this is just Rylee!" She was moved to her Isolette on December 17. When she was crying I'm told she could be heard across the Pod! One nurse referred to her as having the will of an ox - I was so happy to hear this!!! She was moved to the open crib the 1st of February and was dischared on February 10th. She required hernia surgery prior to leaving which she got through successfully as well.

We have been truly, truly blessed with this teeny little miracle and for having all of these wonderful people in our lives. I feel overwhelmed when I think about what these talented people did for our baby. I have to be honest - my expectations were low - i wasn't sure if we'd get through this or what the outcome would be. But some how it worked out. Day after day visiting the hospital never wore us down but Rylee had everything to do wth that. She is so strong and such a little fighter - I admire her!

Ryee's big sister, Emily who is 5 wasn't able to visit her in the NICU due to RSV season so she had a hard time grasping the fact that she actually had a baby sister - as Rylee's health improved and she started putting on weight (I guess she was referred to as a feeder and a grower) we started bringing pictures home to Emily and she just loved it now she can't stay away from her little baby sister - she just love, love, loves her and I can say that Rylee feels the same! Nowadays, Rylee is AWESOME! She weighs around 12 pounds (she is gonna be petite) and is 10 months old (7 months adjusted) she is smiling, cooing, babbling, scooting, rolling, eating baby food, sharing belly laughs and you know she is just wonderful! We are close to sitting and crawling and her 1st birthday is quickly approaching - I can hardly believe it!

I will spend the rest of my life thanking all the people that prayed for us throughout this experience. All of the people that supported us and were there for us. Thanks for letting me share our story! I know when we were in the NICU I was online trying to find info and similar stories - this was good and bad. I found this website to be very inspiring - I hope our story does the same for others.

Thanks!
Kim, Patrick, Emily and Rylee

My GREAT TIME AT UNC

MY TIME AT UNC WAS GREAT ! FROM THE NURSES, DOCTORS, AND EVEN THE TRANSPORTERS ,WERE GREAT! WORDS CAN NOT EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND THANKS TOWARD UNC CHILDREN 'S HOSPITAL. ALL I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR MAKING ME WELL AGAIN MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL WHO HELPED IN MY CARE AND HELPED IN THE TASK TO MAKE WELL AGAIN, AND THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU EVERYDAY! SINCERLY, KAELYN DICKINSON (THANK YOU AGAIN!)

Participate in Miracles!!

Following our 115 day stay in the intensive care units here at UNC Children's Hospital, I can honestly say that I left feeling privileged to have been able to be a part of the miracles that occur at this hospital. My son, Ned, was born with a condition known as CDH (Congenital Diaphramatic Hernia) which prevented his lungs from forming prenatally. My husband and I had travelled across the county to find the best physicans to treat our son. The more research we did, the more grim his prognosis became. He was given a projected survival rate of less than 20%. We chose UNC after meeting some of the surgeons and head of pediatrics here. Just being exposed to their confidence and hope gave us a peace that we were longing to experience.

After birth, Ned received his CDH repair on day 3 of life. It was also on that day that the doctors here diagnosed a heart defect that would also require repair surgery. While that news could have been a huge blow, our doctors here possessed a quiet knowing that allowed me to place my son in their care with complete trust. Clearly, it was warranted. Today, following thirteen surgical proceedures, my 10 month old is growing and thriving.

As I return here today, I see the faces of those who were instrumental in the healing of my son and who literally walked with me through some of my deepest valleys. Their work is nothing short of miraculous and, as a staff, they meet every need of both patients and families. Donating to the UNC Hospitals will bless and save the lives of so many children!

Julia's Journey

Our daughter Julia was born on May 4, 2007. An hour after she was born, we learned that she had congenital heart defects. We knew that she faced at least 2 surgeries in the near future. We did not know that we were embarking on a journey that would lead us to NC Children's Hospital.

Julia spent 181 days at NC Children's in 2007. She underwent 4 heart surgeries before she was 5 months old. She spent about 4 months in the PICU on a ventilator. Rob and I went day by day, trading days and nights between the hospital and our home in Raleigh, where our 2 year old daughter waited and wondered where her baby sister was. We had no idea last fall if we would ever be a family of 4. It was a very dark period in our life.

Julia fought and won, thanks to the tireless work of the men and women who work at this wonderful facility. We made it home in Dec 2007 and have not looked back. Julia is now 18 months old and is thriving. Other than her scar, you would not know the struggle she went thru. We are a normal, busy family with 2 toddlers, thanks to NC Children's Hospital.

I would encourage any parent who has a healthy child to give any amount that they can. Be very thankful that your child is home and healthy but be grateful that this wonderful facility exists should your family ever need their services.

Happy Thanksgiving and good health to all, especially the kids!

Rob, Kimberly & Julia Diokno

Thanks for your support!

I'm Julie Byerley, a pediatrician here at the NC Children's Hospital. Thanks for your support! Gifts to the NC Children's Promise help us provide top notch care for children from across our state. The children we take care of are so inspiring, motivating us to learn more and work harder to do the best we can for them. Your gifts help us to provide the comprehensive care those kids and families deserve. Please take a minute to donate what you can now. We appreciate your help!

Help the Children

I am a senior in high school, and have been coming to the UNC Children's Hospital for three years. My freshman year of high school I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. The Children's Hospital has become an important part of my life and my family's life since then. After several hospitalizations and many outpatient visits, I can attest that the money raised helps make life easier for many children. Having been in the infusion room on many occasions the comfortable seating and entertainment makes a long day much easier to handle.

I feel very fortunate to have Dr. Sandy Kim helping me manage my disease. She spends many hours caring for patients and researching GI disorders particularly Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis to find new treatments and hopefully a cure one day. Donations made to the North Carolina Children's Promise will help children fighting many different diseases have a place that puts children first. It has meant a great deal to me to have a place to come with people who are so dedicated and work so hard to make my life and many others life as normal as possible. Please make your pledge so all the people at UNC Children's Hospital can continue to do this special work.

Mary Beth Tripp

Moved to NC for Better Medical Care

I moved to North Carolina from Florida a little over a year ago specifically for UNC Hospital. I wanted the very best care for my daughter who has cystic fibrosis, a progressive chronic illness that affects her lungs and digestive system. UNC Hospital has one of the largest research centers for cystic fibrosis and there are numerous studies going on for new treatments for this disease that currently has no cure. At the time of my move, UNC Hospital at Chapel Hill had eleven pediatric pulmonologists on staff--that is a tremendous number for any hospital. The move for my family has been well worth it.

My daughter, Megan, is getting the best care that I could find and nothing could be more important to me than her health. I believe that she is doing as well as she is because of the care she is getting here. The doctors and nursing staff have been wonderful and really listen to us. We are an integral part in her care. The hospital school has also allowed Megan, despite her numerous long-term stays, to keep up with her education. She would never have been able to move to the next grade without the tutoring in her hospital room.

UNC Hospital gives so much to its patients and their families. It affects us all. If we have not personally used the hospital and their services, we know a neighbor, family member, or friend who has. The hospital would not be able to do all it does for us without the donations that the public so generously provides.

Thank you UNC Hospital for caring so much for us all!

Wendy Willis
Parent of a child with cystic fibrosis

Don't Delay! Donate Now!

Look... we all lead busy lives. But you've come this far by reading this blog, so take the next step and pledge a donation today to the NC Children's Hospital. They need the resources to continue the incredible things they do every day.

Like when they saved my wife's life. It didn't seem like a bad day. Normal pregnancy. Labor proceeded okay (if you can call being up all night "okay"). But during her c-section things went horribly wrong. But the amazing staff here swooped in and saved her life and my daughter's. A few days later, they were both home. A few months later, they were both completely fine. Six years later, we had another one!

I owe them her life. For that I am eternally grateful. I hope you will do what you can to help support the miracles the NC CHildren's Hospital performs.

Todd Wielar

7th YEAR !!!!!!! Listen Watch and Pledge !

Waking up at 4am, driving an hour and 45 minutes and running on nothing but excitement. That is pretty much the extent of my day so far. My name is Brittany and I have been a patient at the NC Children's Hospital for 18 years this November. The hospital is my second home, the patients doctors and staff another family and all together this place is my life. I would not want to be at any other hospital. I was diagnosed at 13 months old with a rare condition called Evans Syndrome where my body fights itself and then at the age of 10 years Common Variable Immune Difficancy, where I do not have an immune system. I was given 30 days to live, the hospital has saved my life.The radiothon is a time for me to say thank you to the doctors staff and nurses who have given me my life back and worked endlessy to give me the best care possible. The radiothon means the world to me, I look forward to it more than christmas ! I have been coming since the very first year and to think we are in our 7th year now leaves me absolutely flabergasted. All of the time I get asked why I come bck year after year and in years before it has been simply to thank the hospital but now I have another reason. I come every year not only to say thank you but also for my friends from the hospital who are to sick to like Andrew or have passed on, we miss you Rebecca!<3 ! I also come to see friends I have made through the radiothon like Monica. We are all family here and the NC Chidrens Hospital is our home. I Can not thank those of you who have made donations already enough and want you to know that your donations are what makes this hospital possible. If you have not made a donation yet PLEASE DO, you can make your donation by going to www.ncchildrenspromise.org and following the links,buying the auction items available on the ebay page (links on main childrens promise site) or the easiest way by picking up the phone and calling 1-866-9-NCKIDS ! Please call, it is to quiet here right now and I want to hear the phones ringing. Things are starting to get crazy and will only get crazier as performances and donations start throughout the day feel free to come out and be part of an amazing cause. Have a great day and God Bless.

Love,
Brittany Mathews
19, NC Childrens Hospital Patient for 18 years.

Another great day!

I have been privileged to be a physician at the North Carolina Children's Hospital for the past 5 years. As a specialist in pediatric gastroenterology (call me the gut doc!), specifically Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, I care for many children and teens. Being a physician does not merely involve examining a patient, doing some tests and procedures, and writing a few prescriptions. We have a partnership with the children and their families to help them in all aspects of their care: medical, educational, psychological. I am blessed to work with an incredible team of physicians, nurses, nutritionist, transitioning coordinators, and psychologists whose primary goal is to deliver the very best care while supporting our families.

I am so grateful for all of the support all of you reading this blog and listening to the radiothon have given to the North Carolina Children's Hospital. We are committed to serving your children and ALL of the children in the state of North Carolina in all areas: clinical care, research, advocacy. Have a wonderful day!

Sandra Kim, M.D.
Pediatric Gastroenterologist
University of North Carolina and
The North Carolina Children's Hospital

Birdseye View

It's hard to believe this is the seventh year of the N.C. Children's Promise. Seven years! Really? Already? It truly feels like it was yesterday that we were assembling in conference rooms week after week, trying to figure out how to get it all done. How were a dozen or more radio stations going to fit into the lobby of a hospital to broadcast their shows live? How would we attract well known artists to perform live? Would families be willing to share their experience with so many people they've never met before? Would they really want to relive time and time again what they've gone through?

Seven years later and I am still amazed. Amazed by the families who volunteer to answer phones, those who share their stories regardless of how painful it can be. They are the reason we continue to do this. They are the reason why the community is so willing to open its heart and give of themselves. They are the reason for the N.C. Children's Promise.

You know, there's healing in the narratives that we sometimes share. We see ourselves in them. Often times we can relate. The narratives of these families today are of strength, of courage, of resilience, of promise. There's healing in these stories for each of us.

Stephanie Crayton
Medical Center News Office

HSP by devin

Hi I'm Devin I was in the hospital with a disease called Henock Shoeline Pupura which gave me extreme abdominal pain I was ten then and very sick, but now I am okay. Right now I am dealing with IGA Nephropathy which is another kidney disease also I dealt with the death of my grand father 2 months after I was discharged that year was very tough for my family. Now Iam in a basketball league and was on my school soccer team.

Eleanor

I'm Eleanor and I'm nine years old. I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, in October 2007. I am going through chemo treatment right now.
The nurses and the doctors at UNC Children's hospital are really nice. I like to trade stories with everyone, including the rec therapists and the music therapist, Elizabeth. Everybody at the hospital makes my hospital stay more enjoyable.
Please donate money to the 2008 UNC Children's Promise to help all kids that need medical attention.

Abigail and Rachel Ward's Story

Eight years ago my husband and I came to UNC. I was pregnant with twins and I was 25 weeks along. We spent 4 days here trying to stop my early delivery...and then I ruptured. Our daughters, Abigail and Rachel, were born at 26 weeks. We were so lucky to be at UNC . Our daughters spent 3 months here fighting for their lives. My husband and I were here 105 days. Everyday! We could not be more grateful to UNC for their amazing medical care and support as my husband and I faced our most difficult challenge. We are lucky to sit here today with a success story. Our daughters are perfect. They challenge us like every 8 year old daily and we couldn't be happier. Please support the Children's Hospital. Your donation will help families survive the biggest challege they may ever face. If you donate....you will never regret it.

Let the pledging begin!

Today is a day we look forward to all year. It is always great to get back together with our friends from Curtis Media, News 14 Carolina, and Time Warner Cable. The N.C. Children's Promise is about so much more than a fundraiser. It is about letting people all across the state know about the N.C. Children's Hospital, a place where any child who needs care for a complex or chronic illness will get help that they need. The N.C. Children's Hospital is really about the people who work here and the patients who they care for, not a building or even the equipment needed to deliver the care. Right now there are 136 child in the hospital getting cutting edge care on par with anyplace in the country. It is an honor to work in a place that is about seeing that any child needing help will get it, regardless of their ability to pay. This event helps us raise money to keep care at the cutting edge. We can put the physicians nurses and other staff together, but gifts from the N.C. Children's Promise put the tools in the hands of these folks to do their work. This hospital is about helping all of our patients reach their potential and hopefully live long and productive lives. Thanks to everyone for helping us get this done.

Dr. Alan Stiles
Physician-in-Chief, N.C. Children's Hospital
Chair, Department of Pediatrics

Keeping our promises for the 7th year!

Keeping our promises for the 7th year!

Join the celebration! The seventh annual N.C. Children's Promise Celebration is under way live in the lobby of the N.C Children's Hospital. Listen on Curtis Media Group radio stations or watch on News 14 Carolina.

The 2008 N.C. Children's Promise Celebration will broadcast until 11:30 p.m. on News 14 Carolina and the following Curtis Media Group radio stations:

94.7 WQDR

96 Rock

Y-102.9

La Ley 96.9

680 WPTF

FM Talk 101.1

Country 102.3

620 WDNC

570 WDNZ

730 WFMC

920 WPCM

1150 WGBR

1550 WCLY

Triangle Traffic Network

State Government Radio

For more information on the 2008 N.C. Children's Promise Celebration, or to make a donation, please click here. Thanks for your support of the N.C. Children's Promise!

Thanks for your support!

Thanks to the support of thousands of North Carolinians the 2006 N.C. Children's Promise raised more than $630,000 to support the N.C. Children's Hospital! Your contributions have an amazing effect on the children who come to the Children's Hospital for care. Visit www.ncchildrenspromise.org to view updates and recaps from this year's event.

Curtis Media Group, its stations and employees cannot be thanked enough for their work Nov. 16 to promote the wonderful care provided at the Children's Hospital. Similarly, News 14 Carolina and Time Warner Cable provided tremendous coverage of the event, for which we are grateful. Thanks also to the volunteers and staff members at UNC Hospitals who help make the Children's Promise such a successful event each year. We couldn't do this without you!

Josh's Miracle

Josh's story began on May 29, 2004. It began as every other Saturday but little did we know how it would end. Josh was with his father at a family friend's farm spending a beautiful day outside. Josh was riding on a tractor, hit a bump and was bounced off the tractor. The tractor was pulling a bush hog which ran over Josh nearly amputating his left leg. He was transported to Wake Med where he underwent surgery. Several hours later the surgeons came to us stating Josh needed specialized treatment and would be flown by helicoptor to UNC. We were able to see Josh for a very short period while he was being transported to the tele-pad. They had prepared us for what he would look like but the child they rolled out did not even look like my son. He was life flighted to UNC. We rushed to get to him. Josh was in PICU where he stayed for several days on a ventilator undergoing surgery after surgery to save his leg. We spent the next few months in and out of UNC for terrible infections. Even months later the surgeons were not certain his leg could be saved. In late August of 2004 Josh began the first grade with an external fixator, wound vac and PIC line for medications that were administered by IV several times a day. He just five weeks ago had his 14th surgery to repair tendons in his foot. The staff and doctors at UNC are the best ever. They went beyond the call of duty to ensure Josh and our family were comfortable and made to feel at home even though we were not home for weeks at the time. We will be forever grateful to the staff at UNC for saving our Josh and saving his leg. For someone who they thought might never walk and considering the fact he just a few months ago played baseball speaks volumes for what can be accomplished at UNC. We are fortunate to have such an awesome facility in North Carolina. My husband and I never thought anything like this could happen to our family but what a comfort it was to have the team at UNC on our side when it did. We will be forever grateful.

Arden's Way

It is Arden's way to give people hope.
She is my five year old daughter who has an extensive relationship with the NC Children's Hospital.
In her first few years of life, because of birth anomalies, Arden fought hard just to breathe. With one lung, her trachea reconstructed, and a part of her airway floppy, she was very fragile.
She had two cardiac arrests, 7 episodes where she had to be revived, had to have a trach and a feeding tube (g-tube). She was in the ICU for 6 months and on a ventilator for 6 weeks.
Today, she is in kindergarten, in dance and will be starting soccer in the Spring.
This hospital has helped Arden survive and thrive. Please help support the NC Children's Hospital and help make a difference in the lives of the children in our community.
-Arden's Mom Laurie

B. Everett Jordan Supports N.C. Children's Promise

The B. Everett Jordan school community, in Graham, had a loose change drive to raise money for this great cause. The students, staff, and community members all donated their spare change and raised $1, 010.01 in the last three weeks! A student at BEJ suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and his classmates attended today and presented the check. The school has committed to fundraising and sharing information about CF for the entire school year. The school is proud to support CF and we feel especially strong about our connection and committment to our special boy and his family.

Our Miracles

My name is Judy Ward. I am here with my husband Pat and our daughters Abigail and Rachel . Our girls were born at 26 week in April 2000. We spent 3 months in the NICU here at UNC. Our story is like so many others. Tiny babies fighting for their lives, parents scared beyond their wildest dreams and yet there is hope. Hope given to us by the amazing medical team here at UNC. UNC took care of our babies in addition to taking care of us. We are eternally grateful for giving us the family we always dreamed of.

Thank you so much to the Newborn Critical Care Center

My name is Leslie Nelson and I am here with my husband Mark today to help support the NC Children's Hospital. My son, Carter, was born 3 months prematurely on August 3, 2006. After an uneventful pregnancy, we were absolutely shocked that something could be wrong so early. Carter came into this world weighing just 3 lbs. He spent 6 weeks in the Newborn Critical Care Center and we will be forever grateful for the great care that he received. Carter's entire team was fantastic. All of his physicians and nurses went above and beyond providing the greatest care to him.

Please help if you can!!

Recreational Therapy

My name is Ginna Barber and I am a Recreational Therapist at the N.C. Children's Hospital. I have been working here for over 7 years. During my time here, I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful patients and families. The children are truly a blessing. Each day, I look forward to coming to work because the kids touch my life in so many ways. What an amazing experience to see the strength and spirit that they display even during difficult times! I am not always the one who is teaching them-- they are the ones who teach me!

Promises of Hope

I am Steve McPhail and my duaghter Grace was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when she was 10-years old. The diagnosis was made here, at the North Carolina Children's Hospital by Dr. Sandy Kim, a pediatric gastroenterologist. Shortly after the diagnosis, Grace was hospitalized for a Crohn's related complication. I thank God for this institution. It is so much more than a building, rather it is a unique environment where the care of children (and their parents) is as important as the treatment of disease. Children from all 100 counties in the state are treated here. Over 85% of these children are referred from other hospitals for diagnosis and treatment of complex disorders. NC Children's Hospital is the only true children's hospital in the state with staff in all pediatric subspecialties. Patients are treated here regardless of their ability to pay for services rendered. The state of NC covers only 8% of the operating costs of the hospital and therefore, we need your help. Please donate what you can to ensure that the hospital can meet its mission of providing family focused child centric care to each patient, contribute to new knowledge about children's diseases through cutting edge research and educate future health care providers for children. You can make a difference in the lives of the children of NC and there is nothing more important than that. Hopefully, your family will never need this hospital, but if you, your friends or anyone else ever does, you will feel as blessed as I do that this wonderful institution is here. Please do what you can to support it.

My Miracle

I will never forget being admitted into Labor and Delivery and being told, "You will be here until your baby is born." My son, Jack, was born 3 months early, weighing 1lb. 13oz. His skin was translucent and his little eyes were fused tightly together. I remember him being so small that the nurses had simply placed a cotton ball over him, instead of a diaper. Two weeks passed before I was able to hold him for the first time. Jack would stay in the Newborn Critical Care Center (NCCC) for 83 days and his father and I would make the trip from our home to the hospital each day for those nearly three months. During the course of his stay, the NCCC became a second home to us. If we were not at home sleeping or at work, we were with Jack. The hospital staff became our family...not only did we depend on them for our son's physical well-being, but we relied on them for emotional care and support, which they gave freely. Now, 2 years later, I have a beautiful, intelligent, healthy son. He is my miracle. But there is no doubt in my mind that my sweet, sweet boy would not be here today if not for the care he received at UNC Children's Hospital. I cannot thank them enough.

Our Children, Our Future

I just want to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their participation in the NC Childrens Promise. It takes a great deal of resources to support the needs of our patients and their families, our goal of Family Centered Care is supported by your generous donations. Everyone expects to have the "Gerber Baby" and no one really plans to end up in the NICU. Each year we care for over 800 families from across North Carolina, helping moms & dads and their new "Tar Heel". I have been a nurse (and now the manager) in the Newborn Critical Care Center for 25 years have seen tremendous changes in the care of sick and premature babies. I work with at tremendous group of people...nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners, respirtory therapists, dieticians, pharmacists, lactation consultants, Social Workers, OTs, PTs, Speech professionals, and many others. Through the work of many, our children can have a great future. Supporting the NC Children's Promise is about our keds, they are our future...


Mauri Williams RN
Nurse manager
Newborn Critical Care Center

We're live again!

We are off to another great day with the Children's Promise. This is the day that we focus on bringing stories to you of what goes on everyday in the N.C. Children's Hospital, caring for children and familes who have serious medical problems. This is the State's Children's Hospital, a place child who needs our help can come.

We do serious work caring for children who have serious or chronic diseases, many of them needing critical care because of their life-threatening problems. Your help is needed to keep us at the cutting edge. A child's needs are not on a budget cycle and the gifts you give allow us to meet the needs of each child as they come up, not delay care or have to send them somewhere else for care.

Every year children from every county in North Carolina come here for care, this year more than 80,000 outpatients and about 9500 inpatients. We do all of this in an atmosphere that is family centered and child friendly. Thanks for your support today as we celebrate the N.C. Children's Promise!

Alan Stiles, MD
Physician-in-Chief
North Carolina Children's Hospital

Keeping our promises for the 5th year!

Join the celebration! The fifth annual N.C. Children's Promise Celebration is Nov. 16, live in the lobby of the N.C Children's Hospital. Listen on Curtis Media Group radio stations or watch on News 14 Carolina.

The 2006 N.C. Children's Promise Celebration will be broadcast from 5 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. on News 14 Carolina and the following Curtis Media Group radio stations:

94.7 WQDR

96 Rock

Y-102.9

La Ley 96.9

680 WPTF

FM Talk 101.1

Country 102.3

620 WDNC

570 WDNZ

730 WFMC

920 WPCM

1150 WGBR

1550 WCLY

Triangle Traffic Network

State Government Radio

For more information on the 2006 N.C. Children's Promise Celebration, or to make a donation, please click here. Thanks for your support of the N.C. Children's Promise!

Two NICU Graduates Abby & Annie

I'm the mommy, a tough job, of mono twins. One sack, one placenta and a lot of jumping squiggly fun! We came to the womens hospital when I was 24wks along and stayed til the girls came 9 weeks later, over 2mos early. this was the only hospital in the state to accept me as a patient and the only one to be equiped to monitor these types of twins. Because of the difficulty of my pregnancy.
I'm sure God sent me here, I was 43yrs old and having huge trouble staying pregnant. I thank him every day for so many things, the girls who are now like miniture sumo wrestlers that love to tackle Daddy soon as he gets home. I can't tell you all how grateful I am to the diligent nursing staff, who put up with all my little silly stories and wouldn't let loose on those paddles for (at times) 20 hours out of 24! Those poor things would chase my little tabpoles for hours... I make jokes, but it's still so cool being a mommy (finally) after so many years of waiting. (I'm 44 now) God finally made this miracle happen and provided these fabulous folks who care so very much! They were the instraments in His orchastration that only began when my two beautiful babies were born. Susie Q...

UNC Children's Hospital creates miracles

My wife Nicole and I had a baby girl at 27 weeks. She stayed at the UNC Children's Hospital NCCU for over 2 months. The doctors and other caregivers gave us the miracle of a beautiful baby girl who just celebrated her 1st birthday. Not too many people know what goes on in the 4th floor NCCU, but the technology and medicine that are available to neonates is unbelievable. Even more importantly, the people who take care of babies and their families are miracle workers. The resources that are required to run an NCCU are hard to contemplate. Your donations can help meet the needs of the hospital and help make miracles happen for other North Carolina families. Please donate if you can, and be sure to check and see if your company matches donations. If you are UNC alumni, your donation counts towards the Carolina First campaign. Thank you - Dave and Nicole

More than just medical care

I am a Child Development Nurse here at the Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning and UNC Hospitals, and one of the things I like best about working here is that most of the staff offer more of themselves than just their medical skills. One of the things I'm most proud of here at UNC is the culture of caring. I have a son who was born weighing one pound, 12 ounces, who is now 14 years old. I am eternally grateful to the staff who made it possible for him to be a walking miracle. But I am also grateful for the supports that were in place for us during our hospitalization and the links to community resources following his hospital stay.

I am inspired by my experiences as a mother of a NICU graduate, and what I believe is a higher calling, to try to make the lives of the children and families we encounter here a bit better. I have worked to create child development and parent support programs particularly for children who have experienced prolonged hospitalization. It brings me a great deal of joy to be able to help them physically, spiritually,and emotionally.

I appreciate so much those of you who are donating - especially at a time when our country is in a financial challenging situation. Sometimes this population of children is the group that suffers most at a time like this when there are less funds for social and health programs. We really appreciate your help!

One of the parents in our program expressed, "before I was participating in your support program I could afford the gas to visit my child, but now I can afford to eat too!" One of our program professionals who is also a parent of a child with special needs said,"If I had had this program when my child was born, it would have changed my life. Instead, I lost my husband because of the chaos, and was left on my own to learn to deal with having a child with special needs. I had no one to show me the way."

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us change lives! Jane Barlow, MSN, RN

Working with the kids and families is quite a privilege!

Hello everyone,
I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for helping our kids. I have had the privilege of working with these families for almost twenty years and have seen the effects of help from the community. Some of them are here speaking with you today and I am still humbled by their courage when facing the challenges they do.

We have quite a healing environment here, and thanks to many of you we are able to make our environment of care even more nurturing.

In Recreational Therapy we are often asked about what we do most with the kids in the children's hospital--the simple answer is that we help them to cope and adjust with health care encounters and do as much as they can to be kids within the environment. We do this through medical teaching with some play and some real medical equipment. Many times we are clearing up misconceptions they may have about the hospital or clearing up something they misinterpreted. We teach them the sequence and sensations so they know what to expect and help alleviate some of their concerns. We also help them to get through the procedures with the use of breathing techniques, guided imagery, distraction and relaxation. However, when you watch what we are doing with the kids, you may hear us asking them to use their imaginations to pretend they are "Ariel who is slowly blowing bubbles easily and gently as she rests in the ocean..." We do this to help them do what is needed for the procedure and to help them relax during the event--The ability kids have to use their imaginations is phenomenal and is often the best tool they have to get through a simple blood draw or even a more intense procedure. The idea is if they have some sense of control, they will be better able to cope and adjust to this health care encounter and future ones. There are many things we do to help the kids in the children's hospital to heal, cope, adjust and get themselves back to what they should be doing--being a kid!

Additionally, we have some play facilities here that really let the kids know that we value them-in one of them is an Air Hockey table that was purchased last year because some of the monies donated were used to help us purchase this KidZpace air hockey table. The kids absolutely love it and often it helps them to get up out of bed and work on getting better.

Thank you again for supporting the N.C. Children's Promise and helping us help the kids!

Laurie Reddick
Recreational Therapy

Why we are involved

Our first involvement with the NC Children's Hospital was attending the Eric Montross Father's Day Basketball Camp. The 'new' Children's Hospital had not even opened during our first year at camp. This allowed us the opportunity to become involved while the final plans were still being developed. All the wonderful plans seemed like a dream and fantasy but what a wonderful dream it was. It is truly amazing to see that dream come true and how far the Children's Hospital has come since those years which were actually not that long ago. Before the Children's Hospital opened, facilities for the children were located in various parts of the hospital and frankly the appearances were not very appealing. Privacy and conveniences were not abundant at that time. Going to the hospital is usually not a pleasant experience for children or parents. To be greated by unappealing and intimidating surroundings is counter-productive for children coming to the hospital to be healed. We quickly saw that private funds were necessary to make the NC Children's Hospital as welcoming and comfortable as anyone would want if their child were being treated.

We thought that this was a very worthy cause and believed that our funds were critical in helping achieve the nurturing state of the art facilty that is embodied in the NC Children's Hospital. The physical completion of the Hospital was only the beginning of the need for continued private support. Keeping up with developing technologies and medical procedures requires continued private funding. This is one of the reasons that continued private funding for the NC Children's Hospital remains one of our high priorities.

One of the special features of the Children's Hospital is the Parent's Resource Center which allows parent a quiet room with a computer and internet access in which they can research their child's illness. There is a digital camera so that parents can send photos and updates over the internet to families and friends to stay in touch while their child is in the Hospital.

Please join us in supporting the wonderful facility that we have here in the NC Children's Hospital. Everyone contributions, no matter the size, are valued, needed and very much appreciated.

Tom & Lisa

Saving Arden

Arden's journey led us to NC Children's Hospital nearly four years ago when my beautiful 5 1/2 month old chubby, healthy, thriving daughter awoke with a cough. By the evening she was having trouble breathing, and my husband and I found ourselves panic-stricken while driving to the nearest hospital.

At the hospital, she was failing. She was placed on a ventilator and we were told that Arden's right lung had collapsed. The next day we were told her right lung had not collapsed - she did not have a right lung. Our response was, "Well, she had a right lung when she came in here."
No one could understand what was going on with Arden, but one thing was certain, she was complex and critical.

She was rushed to NC Children's hospital where they diagnosed her with long stem tracheal stenosis (her airway was greatly narrowed) and pneumonia - which brought on the cough.
She was hour to hour whether she would live for two weeks.

The PICU stood by her side and never gave up on her.

Arden was lifeflighted to have reconstruction surgery on her trachea and then came back to NC Children's Hospital for a lengthy recovery which included 2 cardiac arrests, seven incidents were she had to be revived - five of which I stood by her side and witnessed. She was incredibly fragile.

She had to have a tracheostomy to help ensure her survival if she coded at home, and she also had to have a g-tube - feeding tube placed in her stomach. Arden came to the hospital January 23 and returned home in late June. that was one long night for me and my husband.

Since her lengthy hospital stay, the staff at NC Children's Hospital has worked by our side to provide Arden with the tools she needed to survive and thrive. They Empowered my husband and I with the education we needed to help Arden.

Now Arden is four, in preschool, taking ballet and tap and thriving. She is high spirited, funny and loving, and I am lucky to be her Mom!

Arden's condition cannot be linked genetically. There was nothing that happened to her while she was in utero. There was nothing I ate or took while pregnant with Arden that caused her to be the way she is. We have no family history of major illness. We could be your neighbor.

What happened to Arden could happen to anyone. There is no Us and Them in Arden's story. We are not "those" people. For that reason, we all need to come together as a community and support the NC Children's Hospital for Our children.

Please show your sense of community spirit and your compassion by donating just $25 to the place that helped us save Arden.

Thanks!!
-Arden's Mom, Laurie

Jordyn, Our Little Angel

Jordyn's journey through life began on December 20, 2002. I had no idea that her journey would be such a rough one. She was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia at two months old and was in need of a Liver Transplant. September 17, 2004 was the Big Day! I, Jordyn's mom, was able to donate a piece of my liver to her. Jordyn has had a few complications since the transplant but is overall pretty healthy. She is a blessing and a miracle. We have a wonderful team here at UNC has become like family to us. Jordyn is as healthy as she can be now and we have UNC Hospitals to thank for that! Any donations that you can give would be greatly appreciated. This hospital definitely gives the gift of life!!!

Thank you,
Melissa and Jordyn Hester

Joshua, God's Little Miracle

Hello, my name is Darrell Cooley, father of N.C. Childrens Hospital patient, Joshua Cooley. Joshua's story started at birth, September 21st, 2004. After two and half days of what looked like a normal delivery of a healthy baby, things quickly turned for the worst. Before we knew it, Joshua was being admitted to the N.C. Childrens Hospital because of a rare and deadly metabolic genetic disorder called Urea Cycle Disorder. Not only did Joshua have the disorder, but he had the worst type of Urea Cycle Disorder, known as Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC). OTC is caused by a missing enzyme in the liver that helps break down protein properly. Because of the missing enzyme, ammonia levels rise and cause neurological problems, organ damage, coma, and death. For the next several weeks Joshua battled death everyday. However, we had many people praying diligently and a team of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff work diligently around the clock to care for Joshua. Joshua eventually got better and was able to be disharged after about a month of hospitalization.

Over the next couple of months Joshua continued to battle OTC everyday, including frequent stays in the hospital to treat the elevated ammonia levels. After Joshua's health continued to improve, the metabolic doctors recommended a liver transplant, which is currently the only known cure for OTC. I decided that I would like to be a living donor, where they would take a piece of my liver and give it to Joshua. So on July 7th, 2005 Joshua received the liver transplant and his recovery has been nothing short of a miracle. I really thank God for his blessings over Joshua and I thank God for the doctors, nurses, and medical staff that has been a integral part of Joshua's recovery and success.

Fourth Year in a Row!!

WOW another great event! For some of us the Radiothon is like an annual family reunion where we get to see some familiar faces as well as new faces and everyone is SMILING. Think about it - smiles and a hospital - those two things don't seem to go together, but they so often do here at the NC Children's Hospital. While it is no one's dream to be a patient here or a parent of a patient, it is comforting to know that the quality care, unique specialists, and courage of the children exist.

I am a proud parent of now a preschooler who on his second day of life was transfered here, subjected to a number of tests, medicines, and consultations, but now is stable and sitting here next to me playing with his older brother - a sight that on some of his early days was not forecasted as possible.

I am grateful for the ingeniuty of the doctors, the cutting edge research, and the loving care provided here not only to us but also that I observe being provided to hosts of other families regardless of their child's condition, needs, abilities.

All the best for another successful radiothon. Thank you for all of the care and compassion offered to Sam.

Corry Platt
Proud Parent
Board of Visitors Member

Emily, The Rock Star!

Hi, My name is Emily, I'm 7 years old, and I have Leukemia, But I love it!! Having leukemia hasn't always been fun, but I have more fun days than bad days. I was diagnosed in Providence Rhode Island on April 24th 2004, when I was six. It was scarry at first and it hurt a lot. My doctors gave me a button to push every time I had and that made me feel better. I was in the hospital for 10 days the first time and when I left I felt much better. Dad says I am in Remission, which means the cancer cells are kinda sleeping. We now we live in Fort Bragg NC and come here to UNC every month for a doctor's visit and every three months for a spinal tap to put special medicine in my spine to keep the cancer cells away.
The best part about having leukemia is all the special attention I get. The nurses and doctors are real nice, the play room is always full of toys, and sometimes there's a clown named Mr. Rainbow that makes great balloon animals and says the alphabet backwards. It's real fun! The only think I don't like about having leukemia is having to miss school so much, although so far this year I've only missed four days of school. The people here at UNC are GREAT!! They make me happy and take great care of me.
Don't forget to donate, call 1 -866-9 NC KIDS.

Emily and Dad.

Today's the Day!

Hey everyone! This is Rebecca Simpson. You may have heard me on some of the Curtis Media Radio stations. So far, I've been on WPTF 680, and I think I'll be on a few more in a little bit. I've also been interviewed for TV channel News 14. It's going well here. But, guys, we need some more donations!!! My Dad and I figured the math...the commercial advertising on the different stations this past week for the radiothon said that on average, 40,000 patients are seen here at UNC. 40,000 people is only about 5% of all of Curtis Media's listeners. If 40,000 people each donate $25 dollars (That's $25 a child) during the radiothon, we could raise ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Can you imagine how much that would do for the hospital?? And the best part is, it all goes to the hospital- research, toys, games, movies, supplies. None of these radio people or TV people or volunteers get any of it. It all goes to the kids!
But today is the day. The only day. If you don't give today, you can't give until next year!! And we need the money now- this year! If you've already given, that's great and we thank you- encourage your friends!! If not, please, think about your kids and your family...wouldn't you want someone to help you if it were your child? Thanks for listening!
God Bless...
More from the Radiothon soon...
><>Rebecca Simpson
AML patient
UNC Children's Hospital

We Are LIVE!

Good Morning. We are off and running for another great day--The N.C. Children's Promise 2005. From the very early hours of the morning the folks from the radio stations of Curtis Media and the team from TimeWarner News14 have been busy. Already folks are calling in to tell stories and offer their support. This is a wonderful day for the North Carolina Children's Hospital when we get to partner with the community to help us give the care our children need. There are 11 people working today to take care of each patient that we have in the hospital, all working together to help those children get better. This day is important for the staff of the Children's Hospital to hear from our patients and for you to learn what is done each day. I hope you will come by, listen to us on the radio, or watch the activities on News14. Right now we have a hospital that is full of children who are getting their needed care, cutting edge, that will help them have the best outcomes possible. Thanks for helping us do what we are here to do, to be the hospital for the children of North Carolina.

Alan Stiles, MD
Physician-in-Chief
North Carolina Children's Hospital

Join the celebration! The N.C. Children's Promise happens Nov. 17, live in the lobby of the N.C Children's Hospital. Listen on Curtis Media Group radio stations or watch on News 14 Carolina.

The N.C. Children's Promise will be broadcast from 5 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. on the following radio stations:

94.7 WQDR

96 Rock

Y-102.9

La Ley 96.9

680 WPTF

FM Talk 101.1

Country 102.3

620 WDNC

570 WDNZ

730 WFMC

920 WPCM

1150 WGBR

1550 WCLY

Triangle Traffic Network

State Government Radio

For more information on the 2005 N.C. Children's Promise, or to make a donation, please click here.