The 41st CHEO Telethon kicked off on Monday, raising money and awareness about Ottawa’s children’s hospital.
This year’s telethon will run Monday to Friday on CTV News Ottawa, CTV Morning Live and Newstalk 580 CFRA, with the grand finale on CTV Ottawa on Saturday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The new format will introduce viewers and listeners to the CHEO families, doctors, nurses and CHEO staff who make CHEO a special place.
“So instead of having it all concentrated on the weekend, we’re going to expand the broadcast throughout the whole week,” CHEO Foundation President and CEO Steven Read told CTV Morning Live on Monday.
“We’re bringing the viewers into the hospital, as we always have. We’ll let everybody see the great work that happens at CHEO, try to really show how important is it to have CHEO in our community and maybe, every more importantly, how community support and donations have really allowed that work to take place.”
You can make a donation online through www.cheotelethon.com or by calling 613-730-CHEO (2436). Money raised during the CHEO Telethon will support research, life-saving treatment and state-of-the-art medical equipment at the children’s hospital.
Read says the CHEO Telethon is important for the hospital.
“It is a tradition,” Read said. “It’s a chance for us to shine a spotlight on some of the work that takes place. All week long, we’ll have an opportunity to hear from some of those patients and their families, and really understand how important it is to have CHEO in our community.”
Tune in during the following times this week to CTV News Ottawa, CTV Morning Live and Newstalk 580 CFRA to learn more about CHEO:
- CTV Morning Live at 7:15 a.m.
- NEWSTALK 580 CFRA at 8:20 a.m., 10:20 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.
- CTV News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Meet the CHEO Telethon kids
As part of the CHEO Telethon, CHEO is introducing us to six children and youth who have needed the children’s hospital.
- Aviyah lost both of her kidneys to polycystic kidney disease and cancer, and her life completely changed. She now requires life-saving dialysis treatments in CHEO’s Medical Day Unit four mornings a week. With the support of her family and her CHEO care team, Aviyah is anxiously waiting to be cleared to receive a kidney transplant and reclaim her life.
- Eluin has always struggled with anxiety. But that escalated dangerously in 2022, leading to a mental health crisis. Referred to a network of professionals through 1Call1Click and care at CHEO, Lu now has a mental health toolbox with a collection of coping strategies.
- Flo arrived a month early. She was born with a cleft lip and required specialized care under the watchful eye of CHEO’s neonatal intensive care team. Flo was also diagnosed with a hole in her heart and hip dysplasia. Once stabilized she was able to go home to await a cleft lip surgery. Today, Flo is a healthy and vocal one year old full of life.
- Helen was born prematurely and with multiple health issues. Diagnosed with Down Syndrome, she has faced multiple challenges from infancy, requiring surgeries, long hospital stays and visits to multiple clinics at CHEO. An empathetic teenager, Helen wants to be famous someday, and help others along the way.
- Parker’s life changed in a moment with a diagnosis of Ewing Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. What followed was an intense treatment protocol of chemotherapy, radiation and an elaborate surgery that involved removing the cancerous bone from his leg. A passionate hockey player, Parker is already back on skates and has his eyes on the future.
- Nadine has had a unique medical journey. After prenatal tests revealed a congenital heart defect, surgical intervention was performed while she was still in the womb allowing her heart to function at 80 per cent. She required open heart surgery at birth and was later diagnosed with a condition that caused the bones in her skull to join together too early. A proud CHEO School student, Nadine is a shining example of resilience.
Last year’s CHEO Telethon raised a record $12.3 million to support care and research at CHEO.