By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – The 11th annual St. Jude Radiothon to help children with cancer and their families raised more money than last year. However, one of the organizers of the two-day event on WJBC and two of our sister stations at Radio Bloomington, said the goal was not to surpass last year’s total, but to find cancer cures.

The radiothon, which ended Friday evening, raised $103,480, better than the $96,347 raised at last year’s radiothon.

St. Jude Development Specialist Jill Libert said although McLean County has its economic challenges, she knew the community would come through for St. Jude.

“The McLean County-Bloomington area, Central Illinois, they really give,” said Libert.

“They know the need, and it’s not about themselves.”

Libert said the organization has effectively demonstrated to the community there’s a need to help young cancer patients.

“It is word of mouth, so we keep talking, and the airwaves are a fast, important tool to get our message out there,” Libert said.

“We have three amazing stations, WJBC being one of them, and working to tell the listeners, explain what St. Jude Childrens Research is doing and what they’re dollar counts for.”

Dollars raised from the radiothon not only pays for treatment and research, but also travel, housing, and food for families of young patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, based in Memphis. The families’ focus, said Libert, should be on their child’s recovery.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]