St. Jude Radiothon

The 42nd broadcast of North Louisiana's St. Jude Radiothon is scheduled from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 15-16 on Ruston station Z107.5. Donations can be made at that time by calling 1-800-787-5288 or by donating online via the station's Facebook (Z107.5) or Instagram (Z1075fm) pages. In related side events, in-person donations will be taken at both the Ruston Walmart Supercenter and Super 1 Foods. The Ruston-based Zeta Rho chapter of the service group Epsilon Sigma Alpha co-sponsors the event, which last year raised more than $84,000 in contributions for the Memphis, Tennessee, hospital that specializes in treating catastrophic childhood diseases. Radiothon Chair Nancy Darland said, "For more than 40 years through this event that's held in the dreary days of winter, this community has brought sunshine into the lives of many, many St. Jude patients and their families. Each gift has the potential to help save a life. Help us fulfill St. Jude founder Danny Thomas' dream – that no child should die in the dawn of life." The hospital treats more than 8,000 patients each year, with annual operating costs totaling nearly $2 billion. More than 800 active patients are from Louisiana. Hospital officials say that an estimated 89% of the funds necessary to sustain and grow St. Jude must be raised by donors' public contributions. No family is ever billed for treatment, travel, meals or lodging.