Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon to raise funds for pediatric surgery

Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon returns for its 14th year March 5-6, 2026, raising funds to support pediatric surgery services for children across the Appalachian Highlands.

Over its 13-year history, Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon has raised more than $4 million, bringing critical healthcare services, equipment and expansions to the Appalachian Highlands. This year’s fundraiser will benefit pediatric surgery services at the hospital, furthering plans to repurpose two rooms for pediatric surgical use.

“As our region grows and demand for pediatric services increases, we have to grow along with our community to continue providing the essential services that every child is entitled to,” said Chris Jett, chief executive officer of the Niswonger Children’s Network. “This project will ensure that our teams can accommodate more patients and meet the growing demand for pediatric surgical care.”

As the only children’s hospital in the region, Niswonger Children’s Hospital provides essential pediatric surgical services that would otherwise force thousands of families to travel outside the region for care each year. Thanks to continuous investment from donors and the community, Niswonger Children’s Hospital offers a wide array of surgical services, including orthopedic, gastroenterological, dental, pulmonology, ophthalmological (eye procedures), otolaryngological (ear, nose and throat) and general surgery.

“As we continue to grow our network and the services we offer, we ensure that more families can get the care they need close to home, and this is especially important for children who need surgery,” said Dr. Seth Brown, chief medical officer of the Niswonger Children’s Network. “No family wants to hear that their child needs surgery, but our teams are proud to be here to make the process as safe and smooth as possible. With these upgrades, our teams will be able to provide an even smoother experience for our smallest surgery patients.”

Previous years of the Niswonger Children’s Hospital Radiothon have benefited diverse areas of pediatric care. Notably, the fundraiser helped raise nearly $2.7 million toward the expansion of the hospital, which will introduce the newest neonatal intensive care unit in Tennessee and Virginia to the region. Previous fundraisers have also helped purchase a neonatal transport unit, recruit additional pediatric subspecialists and boost crucial child safety education services around the region.

“There’s a lot to love about Radiothon,” said Jack Simpson, president of Ballad Health Foundation. “For one, it brings our community together to help our kids and build our future. I can always count on this community to help us reach our goals, and it’s also one of my favorite things about living in this region.

“Secondly, it’s truly encouraging to see the investment in our children build year after year. We’ve grown from a children’s hospital into a network of pediatric care; we’ve expanded the hospital, added specialty services and recruited more specialists, all of which have helped our teams provide more surgical services, which this year’s fundraiser supports. Radiothon is always a lot of work for our volunteers, but it always brings us a step closer to a healthier future for our children.”

The fundraiser will officially kick off at 7 a.m. Thursday, March 5, and conclude at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6. During that time, volunteer teams will answer incoming calls and collect donations from community members to benefit Niswonger Children’s Hospital’s pediatric surgery services. Donations can be made by calling 855.611.KIDS (5437) or by visiting www.niswongerchildrensradiothon.org.