JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Wolfson Children’s Challenge Telethon returns on Thursday, Jan. 19, to raise money to help local children battling life-threatening illnesses.
WJXT is partnering with Wolfson Children’s Hospital to host the all-day telethon at Channel 4 studios. It begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 11:30 p.m.
The numbers to call are 800-366-9598 or 904-346-4630. These phone lines will only be active the day of the telethon.
Answering the phones will be teams from the community, including Wolfson Children’s volunteers, local businesses, UNF student groups, and past patients and their families.
Wolfson Children’s patients will share inspiring stories during the telethon, some attending live with their families.
All proceeds from the event and the telethon will be used to purchase lifesaving equipment and to fund a technology support endowment.
The Wolfson Children’s Challenge was created by Paul Wilson, whose newborn son, Luke, underwent surgery just hours after his birth. Paul hoped to raise $5,000 by running 55 miles, the age of the hospital when his son was a patient.
Since then, the annual event has raised more than $4 million used to purchase leading medical technology, like the 3 Tesla MRI, to better care for pediatric patients.
This year, the Wolfson Children’s Challenge takes place on Jan. 28 at 121 Financial Ballpark. Participants can register for the 55K Ultra, 30K Run and 1-mile Fun Run or get a team of up to 11 friends for the 55K Relay. For more information about the event or to register online, visit wolfsonchildrenschallenge.com.