Tomorrow the 2020 Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Radiothon, presented by CIBC Wood Gundy, will be kicking off. This radiothon will raise funds to support a new Hemodialysis Unit at Saskatchewan's only maternal and children's hospital. As well, the radiothon will support the creation of three Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring satellite sites across the province.

Donations will be matched up to $100,000 by the estate of Bernice Harrison who, with her husband Mervin, left a history of philanthropy in the areas of families and health.

Funds raised during the 2020 Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Radiothon presented by CIBC Wood Gundy will be put towards the opening of the very first Hemodialysis Unit for kids in Saskatchewan as part of the Children's Kidney Health Program. This program currently offers peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation. 

While waiting for these transplants, children are managed best with hemodialysis, which Saskatchewan's children's hospital currently does not offer. It is the only children's hospital in Canada that does not offer this service.

In addition to the construction of the hemodialysis, funds will be raised in order to help create three satellite sites to perform special tests for kids with hypertension due to kidney failure.

Currently, Saskatoon is the only place where ambulatory blood pressure monitoring tests can be conducted, resulting in many parents having to travel. The test requires the child to wear a monitor through the day and night, meaning parents and families have to travel and spend a night to perform these tests.

The satellite sites would bring these tests closer to home, meaning less travel for families.

The new satellite sites will be opened in Prince Albert, Regina, and Swift Current.

To donate, please call the CP Sunshine Line at 1-888-808-KIDS (5437) or head to pattisonchildrens.ca.