Bringing Hope Closer to Home Radiothon Raises $68,000 for Reed City’s Wheatlake Cancer Center

Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital’s Foundation teamed up with Big Rapids Radio Network’s Y-102FM for a special two day, on-air fundraising event. Station personalities interviewed nearly 35 physicians, cancer survivors, caregivers, and families that had been impacted by the disease. Listeners had the chance to win prizes and people came together to share their heartfelt stories and hopes for this exciting new regional cancer center, slated to open in September 2013. The phone bank was staffed by volunteers who eagerly took pledges from callers from an 11 county region.

One very special call came in from Marge Kirnovic’s classroom at Riverview Elementary School in Big Rapids. The school children gave proceeds from their popcorn sale and Susan Wheatlake was manning the phones at that time and was able to personally speak with the kids on the importance of their donation and how grateful she was.

Lake Osceola State Bank was the Radiothon’s title sponsor, and the campaign leadership couldn’t be more grateful for their generosity. Foster’s Supermarket and Ventra Evart were also sponsors of the event. A number of local businesses donated incentives and prizes throughout the two day event adding to the success of the campaign.

“We had a fabulous team putting this Radiothon together,” said Dee Van Horn, Radiothon chair. “From the radio station’s gift of air time and manpower to Lake Osceola State Bank’s lead sponsorship – we are well on our way to making this cancer center a reality for men, women, and families in Michigan. With cancer diagnosis rates on the rise, this project is vital.”

For more information on how you can be involved, please contact Dee Van Horn at 231-972-5737 or Spectrum Health Foundation at 231-832-7184.

Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital is a 25 bed acute care hospital located in Reed City, Michigan that has adopted the Planetree approach to care giving and is the first in the state of Michigan and one of only 21 hospitals worldwide to achieve Planetree Designation. A model of patient centered care in a healing environment, staff is committed to improving medical care from the patient’s perspective, empowering patients and families through education, information and encouraging healing partnerships with caregivers. Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital offers 24 hour emergency care, inpatient and outpatient services including lab and diagnostic imaging, a regional cancer treatment center, three primary care locations and an Eden Care award winning 50 bed rehabilitation and nursing facility. Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital has been recognized for its clinical performance in inpatient, outpatient and emergency department care by the Michigan Center for Rural Health Quality Improvement Organization for 6 consecutive years.