“You’ve helped kids like me and all the 5 kids in Sparta who have been diagnosed with cancer.” — Children’s Miracle Network radiothon continues Friday

It might be the hardest thing a family has to go through, seeing their child diagnosed with some 20-letter, unheard of disease and feeling constrained in ways to help.

Funds might be short, as well as time. It’s been said over and over, yet can’t be said enough: “No child should have to go through this.”

Any relief is welcome and this entity called the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals has been providing that for the past 40 years.

It might feel surreal but these kids and their families are your neighbors and we heard from some of them Thursday, during a 24-hour radiothon at Gundersen in La Crosse through Mid-West Family to help raise money to help these folks.

CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK RADIOTHON
DAY 2

From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday Mid-West Family stations Z93, 95.7 the Rock, and KQ98, plus Around River City, will broadcast from Gundersen in La Crosse stories of CMN heroes and their families as part of the radiothon.

HOW TO DONATE
Go online / Call (608) 784-KIDS (5437) / Text: CMNKIDS to 51555 

One of those 20-letter conditions (26 letters actually) happened to 15-year-old Liliana Hedrick. Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (or B-cell ALL), the Sparta High student learned of her condition less than a year ago.

“In February of last year, I was diagnosed,” she said Thursday during the first half of the two-day radiothon. “So far, it’s been a rough journey, but I’ve kept strong.”

She told a simple story but one that meant a lot to her — having to go into the hospital for an unplanned visit. During that stay, she just had nothing to do. But CMN Hospitals did one little thing that helped make that her time away from home a little easier — she was brought a “giant Lego set.” 

Hedrick, who told the story alongside her mom, Wendy, and sister,  Anabelle, was pretty grateful for the gesture and made that known.

“I would say, ‘Thank you,’” Liliana said to CMN, “because you’ve helped kids like me and all the five kids in Sparta who have been diagnosed with cancer.”

Those stories continue from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday on Mid-West Family stations 95.7 the Rock, Z93 and KQ98, as these kids, deemed “local heroes,” and their families continue to talk about their experiences to help raise money for CMN Hospitals.