RMH Radiothon Wrap-Up
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis
We were in the final two hours of this year’s annual radiothon. As I looked around the conference room where volunteers were answering phones and local deejays were broadcasting live, it was difficult for me to pick just one person with whom to talk. An undeniable energy had infused this place and affected everyone in its path. I found myself standing in a room wherein the power of hope and love could be seen on the faces and heard in the voices of those working so hard to ensure that the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis keeps its doors open for years to come. My heart was full as I watched the children run over to answer a ringing phone. Volunteers stood up to stretch after having spent hours taking calls and writing down all necessary information for donations given. Employees bustled around the room excitedly talking with others about how much it meant to them to be part of this event. I especially found joy in listening to the parents talk with and about their children. Though we were at an annual fundraiser that directly affects children with life-changing medical diagnoses, much of the conversations sounded like those I’ve heard take place on local playgrounds. One of the moms put an end to her son’s snack-eating spree. Another called out to her son to come quickly because Grandma was on the phone waiting to speak with him. Rather than pull individuals aside for interviews I decided it best to not interrupt the ebb and flow to which I’d become witness. I occasionally struck up a casual conversation with someone but for the most part was a “fly on the wall” for the duration of the time we all had left together- and sorted through what final lessons I could share.
Unbreakable Bonds
For the parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer and are now receiving treatment at St. Jude, the Ronald McDonald House has been the springboard for creating bonds that will last a lifetime. It is here where they share laughter more than tears. They speak of victories far more than defeat. They can express, react and unload in whatever way they see fit, without fear of judgment from another who may assume that their responses ought to fit neatly in the box labeled Grieving Parent. Tiffany, whose six year old son Gage has been helping out since 8:00 a.m., shares with me that someone recently asked if she cries every day. When she told them she doesn’t and in fact rarely cries, a look of shock washed across that person’s face. Darla, a mother standing nearby, immediately chimes in and shares a story of her own that echoed the same theme. Perhaps unintentionally yet with perfect fluidity I become a third wheel to the conversation between two women who have so very much in common. I step back a little and though I’m still listening, I’ve become more of an observer to a relationship that has blossomed in the midst of such dire circumstances. I am confident that long after the goal has been met and the conference room is cleared out, a friendship that may otherwise have never formed will continue.
For the parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer and are now receiving treatment at St. Jude, the Ronald McDonald House has been the springboard for creating bonds that will last a lifetime. It is here where they share laughter more than tears. They speak of victories far more than defeat. They can express, react and unload in whatever way they see fit, without fear of judgment from another who may assume that their responses ought to fit neatly in the box labeled Grieving Parent. Tiffany, whose six year old son Gage has been helping out since 8:00 a.m., shares with me that someone recently asked if she cries every day. When she told them she doesn’t and in fact rarely cries, a look of shock washed across that person’s face. Darla, a mother standing nearby, immediately chimes in and shares a story of her own that echoed the same theme. Perhaps unintentionally yet with perfect fluidity I become a third wheel to the conversation between two women who have so very much in common. I step back a little and though I’m still listening, I’ve become more of an observer to a relationship that has blossomed in the midst of such dire circumstances. I am confident that long after the goal has been met and the conference room is cleared out, a friendship that may otherwise have never formed will continue.
One of the deejays indicates he needs to go to break. He wraps up the interview he’s having with one of the children and takes his headset off. He pushes back from the table but before he stands up, the young boy says, “I want to stay on the air.” Without hesitation the deejay tells him that as soon as the commercial break is over he’ll put him back on. They smile in unison. I have no doubt that the bond which exists between them today, whether it existed before or not, will exist from this point on.
The tables lined with volunteers answering the phones are so incredibly full of life. The camaraderie is contagious and I smile watching some of them converse with such passion. Though I see the fatigue on some of the volunteers’ faces, they are no less enthusiastic when a call for a donation comes through. There is no hint in their voices that they have been answering calls for almost twelve hours- and if given the chance would do twelve more. Dee, the Volunteer and Program Manager, is fully aware of this and as the evening draws to a close she expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the “best volunteers she could ever ask for.”
Bev, Chris and Danni of 98.1 The Max and News Talk FM 98.9 are radio’s driving force behind the radiothon. They have formed unbreakable and irrevocable relationships with many of the people they’ve encountered over the past 23 years. During our initial interview they talked about a few of those who have impacted their lives, including families who have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and numerous co-workers who have been a part of the radiothon. Of course the memories of their friend John “Bad Dog” McCormack, who pioneered the radiothon, are kept at the forefront of many conversations. They share that evening, as they have before, the continuation of John’s legacy is woven into the very DNA of the radiothon. Their connection to this cause was evident particularly during these last two hours. Danni’s eyes were noticeably red and puffy as a result of all the tears that had been shed. They carried in them not only the pain in listening to the families speak of their heart-wrenching experiences but also the joy in knowing how much the Ronald McDonald House has meant to these families. Bev and Chris have clearly embraced this annual event as a necessary piece to their lives’ purpose. The ties that bind them to this cause are firmly in place. “So you’ll be here next year?” Bev asks me as I say my good-byes. I pause, knowing that though my response must be swift, above all it must be true.
“Yes. I’ll be here.”
I wouldn’t dare take for granted the bonds that in such a short amount of time have so impacted my life- and my perspective on life.
The Power in Numbers
“He’s a pretty special kid” says Tiffany of Gage, the six year old powerhouse who’s been helping with the radiothon since 8:00 a.m. She tells me that when she was five her mother passed away of colon cancer at the age of 27. Gage was five when he was diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) and an inoperable brain tumor. Tiffany was about to turn 27 when they learned of the diagnosis. She quietly contemplates the numbers and affirms: “he is a pretty special kid.”
Darla asks if I’ve heard of LifeLine Pilots- I haven’t. She explains the organization is a collective of volunteer pilots based out of Peoria, Illinois, who donate their time to fly patients requiring medical needs, along with accompanying family members, to their intended destination. Her entire family of five has been a recipient of the service during their time at the Ronald McDonald House. She says it dawned on her just how much the pilots are giving the day she happened to see one of them fueling up the airplane and upon completion, the numbers on the tank indicated over $600 in fuel had been pumped. “And to my knowledge they are not reimbursed a penny for anything. This is all a gift to us.”
For Darla, Tiffany and all of the other families at the Ronald McDonald House numbers carry extraordinary meaning for their extraordinary circumstances. They are faced with numbers every day when doctors give them percentages and possibilities in protocol. It is one less burden to carry when they don’t have to crunch numbers to figure out where they and their children will rest after a long day of treatment, or how they will get back and forth to treatment. Every time a phone rang and a donation came in, whether it was a large amount contributed by a local business or a smaller amount donated by an individual on fixed income, the numbers added up. At the end of the evening when the kids of Ronald McDonald House of Memphis held up a big check and a Thank You sign, it was a celebration of the power in numbers.
It’s Not Over
Gage’s MRI results came back shortly after the radiothon ended. Unfortunately his tumor has grown and he will be taken off his current medication. The family has begun looking elsewhere for another trial. Tiffany stated before she got the results that regardless of what news they were given, “God performs miracles.” She does not ask for pity. She asks for prayer. Because it’s not over.
The annual radiothon has wrapped but the daily operations at Ronald McDonald House of Memphis continue- and so can the donations. You can call in or go online. If you need to see the impact your donation will have, make an appointment to visit the house. In fact, Bev Hart (of News Talk FM 98.9) has
offered to personally give a tour to anyone who asks for one, confident that they will subsequently understand the magnitude of what this place offers to those who walk through its doors.
For some this year was a continuation of their efforts from years past. For others, like me, it was the beginning of a new endeavor. For all of us, the realization emerged that we have become a part of something that truly brings about change in the lives of others. I believe that once you have opened yourself up to all that the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis does for the children of our world, the members of our community and the residents of our city, your dedication to it- and them- will be unwavering.
The tables lined with volunteers answering the phones are so incredibly full of life. The camaraderie is contagious and I smile watching some of them converse with such passion. Though I see the fatigue on some of the volunteers’ faces, they are no less enthusiastic when a call for a donation comes through. There is no hint in their voices that they have been answering calls for almost twelve hours- and if given the chance would do twelve more. Dee, the Volunteer and Program Manager, is fully aware of this and as the evening draws to a close she expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the “best volunteers she could ever ask for.”
Bev, Chris and Danni of 98.1 The Max and News Talk FM 98.9 are radio’s driving force behind the radiothon. They have formed unbreakable and irrevocable relationships with many of the people they’ve encountered over the past 23 years. During our initial interview they talked about a few of those who have impacted their lives, including families who have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and numerous co-workers who have been a part of the radiothon. Of course the memories of their friend John “Bad Dog” McCormack, who pioneered the radiothon, are kept at the forefront of many conversations. They share that evening, as they have before, the continuation of John’s legacy is woven into the very DNA of the radiothon. Their connection to this cause was evident particularly during these last two hours. Danni’s eyes were noticeably red and puffy as a result of all the tears that had been shed. They carried in them not only the pain in listening to the families speak of their heart-wrenching experiences but also the joy in knowing how much the Ronald McDonald House has meant to these families. Bev and Chris have clearly embraced this annual event as a necessary piece to their lives’ purpose. The ties that bind them to this cause are firmly in place. “So you’ll be here next year?” Bev asks me as I say my good-byes. I pause, knowing that though my response must be swift, above all it must be true.
“Yes. I’ll be here.”
I wouldn’t dare take for granted the bonds that in such a short amount of time have so impacted my life- and my perspective on life.
The Power in Numbers
“He’s a pretty special kid” says Tiffany of Gage, the six year old powerhouse who’s been helping with the radiothon since 8:00 a.m. She tells me that when she was five her mother passed away of colon cancer at the age of 27. Gage was five when he was diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) and an inoperable brain tumor. Tiffany was about to turn 27 when they learned of the diagnosis. She quietly contemplates the numbers and affirms: “he is a pretty special kid.”
Darla asks if I’ve heard of LifeLine Pilots- I haven’t. She explains the organization is a collective of volunteer pilots based out of Peoria, Illinois, who donate their time to fly patients requiring medical needs, along with accompanying family members, to their intended destination. Her entire family of five has been a recipient of the service during their time at the Ronald McDonald House. She says it dawned on her just how much the pilots are giving the day she happened to see one of them fueling up the airplane and upon completion, the numbers on the tank indicated over $600 in fuel had been pumped. “And to my knowledge they are not reimbursed a penny for anything. This is all a gift to us.”
For Darla, Tiffany and all of the other families at the Ronald McDonald House numbers carry extraordinary meaning for their extraordinary circumstances. They are faced with numbers every day when doctors give them percentages and possibilities in protocol. It is one less burden to carry when they don’t have to crunch numbers to figure out where they and their children will rest after a long day of treatment, or how they will get back and forth to treatment. Every time a phone rang and a donation came in, whether it was a large amount contributed by a local business or a smaller amount donated by an individual on fixed income, the numbers added up. At the end of the evening when the kids of Ronald McDonald House of Memphis held up a big check and a Thank You sign, it was a celebration of the power in numbers.
It’s Not Over
Gage’s MRI results came back shortly after the radiothon ended. Unfortunately his tumor has grown and he will be taken off his current medication. The family has begun looking elsewhere for another trial. Tiffany stated before she got the results that regardless of what news they were given, “God performs miracles.” She does not ask for pity. She asks for prayer. Because it’s not over.
The annual radiothon has wrapped but the daily operations at Ronald McDonald House of Memphis continue- and so can the donations. You can call in or go online. If you need to see the impact your donation will have, make an appointment to visit the house. In fact, Bev Hart (of News Talk FM 98.9) has
offered to personally give a tour to anyone who asks for one, confident that they will subsequently understand the magnitude of what this place offers to those who walk through its doors.
For some this year was a continuation of their efforts from years past. For others, like me, it was the beginning of a new endeavor. For all of us, the realization emerged that we have become a part of something that truly brings about change in the lives of others. I believe that once you have opened yourself up to all that the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis does for the children of our world, the members of our community and the residents of our city, your dedication to it- and them- will be unwavering.