Variety-the Children's Charity is dedicated
to improving the lives of underprivileged,
at-risk and special needs children throughout Iowa
to improving the lives of underprivileged,
at-risk and special needs children throughout Iowa
KJJY/Variety Radiothon
KJJY/Variety Radiothon presented by General Mills is a two-day event (6:00 am to 6:00 pm on both days) held at Valley West Mall. This event is historically held the Tuesday and Wednesday before Christmas. KJJY 92.5 Radio personalities talk about the KJJY/Variety Compassion Fund that provides dollars to families whose children are hospitalized with life-threatening conditions. Donors may also choose to donate dollars to purchase a “Variety Bear” (a stuffed teddy bear) that is distributed to hospitalized children. Over 500 pledges are called in each year.
The KJJY/Variety “Compassion Fund”
There is a compelling human need in the Des Moines area for which little help has been available. Over the years society has focused a great deal of energy and resources into finding a cure for life-threatening illnesses that victimize our children. That’s a wonderful thing and great advances are being made. The problem that begs for attention is the financial impact these long-term illnesses have on a child’s family. The emotional devastation goes without saying, but the financial damage can have a much longer negative impact. It’s a sad truth that many times the child survives the illness, but the family does not.
What is the problem?
Financial devastation. Yes, it has to do with money and it’s not just about low-income families. A recent study indicates that parents at any income level need thirty percent more money just to maintain status quo when a child has a castrophic illness. The problem is; they always have less. Two income families suddenly lose one paycheck when a child is diagnosed. Single parent families often lose all income while the parent devotes full time to the care of the child. Win or lose, cancer treatment routinely takes two or three years. That’s two to three years of less income and many more expenses. Families lose their home, their car, and most hurtful of all, their sense of security. People, who are accustomed to paying their own way, find themselves dependent on the charity of family and friends. The reality is, there is only so much family and friends can do on an ongoing basis. The “Compassion Fund” can’t really help with big items like mortgages and car payments, but it can help with the unexpected expenses related to hospitalization or frequent medical appointments. Items such as over night lodging, food while away from home, transportation and the ability to make an important phone call. It can even help with the small things like a hat for the child with no hair or a birthday party and cake. Variety has set a limit of no more than $500 per family.
Who deals with these problems?
Social workers and medical staff are on the front lines when it comes to helping these families survive day to day. Sometimes they can help a weary parent with a meal, lodging or a few dollars in gas money to get a child to treatment. Sometimes they cannot. With access to the “Compassion Fund” at least they can offer some help to people who are on the verge of loosing all hope. If we can help them get through today, they will have hope for tomorrow.
How does the Compassion Fund directly affect the sick child?
In many important ways. First of all, it allows a parent to stay by the child’s side, at some reasonable level of comfort. It helps the child get to all the important life-saving treatment. It allows the child a more comfortable, dignified way of getting home from chemotherapy and radiation sessions. It helps relieve some of the guilt a sick child starts to feel when they see their loved ones constantly suffering and sacrificing on their behalf. The fund may also be used sometimes to brighten the patient’s day by buying an outside meal or taking them on some fun diversion away from the needles, medicine and hospital beds. In fact, everything good that comes from the “Compassion Fund” is good for the child’s mental and physical well being.
What about Social Security and Welfare?
It’s true, some children from low-income families do qualify for Social Security assistance. Even so, it takes three months to sort out the red tape before the first check arrives. How does the family keep it together for three months? Very few middle income families qualify for any kind of assistance. Welfare and food stamps can help with minimal subsistence, but restrictions are many and again there is a long waiting period. One single parent mom we recently met lost her welfare and food stamps when friends helped her get a car for the weekly trips to the hospital. Common sense is not always built into our public assistance programs.
Other practical problems.
When there are siblings of the sick child, there is often the problem of childcare while mom stays at the hospital. Even if there is a second parent, they often have more than one job in an effort to catch up with the mountain of bills. Sometimes relatives can help and sometimes they can not. There is also the issue of these kids being somewhat “abandoned” at what is a very traumatic time for them too. There is almost never money available to give these children quality, professional care at a time that they need it most.
Families struggling with long term childhood illness also fall prey to the high divorce rate. The bonds of marriage are severely tested by all the emotional strain and often broken when there is no hope in sight for the financial fall. Unfortunately, this environment of frustration and hopelessness sometimes leads to violence in the home. Sometimes against loved ones, sometimes against one’s self.
How much impact can the “Compassion Fund” really have?
Hospital social workers were interviewed in four states. A common thread in their response was that even the smallest amount of financial help gives a family an emotional boost that lasts for days or weeks. Just knowing that total strangers care about their problems gives strength to their determination to find the light at the end of the tunnel. We can help thousands of people see that light, maybe even before the end of the tunnel.