JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In honor of Wolfson Children's Hospital 57th birthday, Channel 4 is spending Thursday celebrating the wonderful things they do for the health of area children and trying to help the hospital continue its mission.
- Call 904-348-6022 -- toll free 800-366-9598 -- through 11:30 p.m. tonight or visit One To Grow On
- A donor on Thursday agreed that every dollar raised until the end of the day will be matched.
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Wolfson Children's has 180 beds and is the only children's hospital in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia region.
Last year, they cared for more than 40,000 children. As a not-for-profit hospital, and no child in need of health care is turned away.
Children and adults are physically different and so are their health care needs. Children are cared for by pediatric doctors, nurses and specialists who understand the differences between children and adults.
Wolfson Children's Hospital provides nearly every medical and surgical service for children, including behavioral health, a cancer center, the Terry Children's Heart Center, a neonatal center, a neurosciences center, an orthopedic center and a minimally invasive surgery center.
The hospital serves children throughout the region, and even the world through program like Patrons of the Hearts, which brings international children with heart defects to Wolfson for life-saving heart care.
Last year, nearly 11,000 surgeries were performed at Wolfson by pediatric surgeons from Nemours Children's Clinic and the University of Florida.
Wolfson Children's trains tomorrow's pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists through a joint residency program with the University of Florida College of Medicine.
Every year Wolfson Children's provides more than $12 million in costs for uncompensated care and to sustain essential pediatric health care services and support child health organizations throughout the community.
Wolfson Children's Hospital relies completely on the generosity of donors to keep the doors open and help treat children with even the most serious illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer.
Light A Candle, Celebrate A Child
To support Wolfson Children's Hospital acquire state-of-the-art technology needed to care for children's unique needs; add or expand pediatric services; and for other clinical needs, the hospital and Channel 4 have partnered on the Light a Candle, Celebrate a Child campaign.
Their goal is to raise $500,000, in part by lighting 40,000 candles to represent the children served by Wolfson Children's Hospital last year. Money raised will be used for the purchase of the most advanced, highest performing MRI available, which officers a distinct advantages for children over current technology.
To light a candle, make a donation of $10 to honor Wolfson's years of caring for the region's children and the patients represented.
On Jan. 28, 10 runners -- including Channel 4's own Richard Nunn -- will take part in a 55-mile Ultra Marathon to honor the children served by Wolfson Children's Hospital.
There will also be a Run 5 to Keep Kids Alive race and a one-mile fun run.
At 10 a.m. that morning, there'll be a birthday celebration. All events take place at the Jacksonville Landing.
Visit Wolfson55.org to read the stories of the 55 children honored this year -- past and present patients of Wolfson Children's Hospital. You can also find out about the Ultra Marathon, 5-mile run and 1-mile run.