Light a Moose radiothon returns to Fort St. John this fall

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Preparations are underway for a radiothon to raise money for three new pieces of equipment for the Fort St. John Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).

100.1 Moose FM’s 22nd annual Light a Moose radiothon is scheduled to run from November 19th to 21st, raising money for the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation. The station will be broadcasting live outside the Pomeroy Hotel and Conference Centre from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The station — which is owned by Energeticcity.ca’s parent company, Moose Media — runs the event each year as part of the hospital foundation’s annual ‘Be an Angel’ fundraising campaign.

This year, the goal for the radiothon is to raise $150,000 for three pieces of equipment: an ultrasound with a thoracic probe, a transport monitor and a temperature management system.

According to a press release from the hospital foundation, the Fort St. John Hospital’s ICU serves people from all over the Peace region and operates at full capacity, meaning it’s “more important than ever” to make sure workers have the tools they need to save lives.

The ultrasound would be used for “accurate and immediate heart monitoring,” while the transport monitor would allow healthcare workers to keep an eye on patients’ vitals in real time while they’re being moved or undergoing procedures like MRIs and CT scans.

Meanwhile, the temperature management system — also called an ‘arctic sun’ — would allow workers to ensure patients maintain the exact right body temperature as they recover.

Chris Walker, 100.1 Moose FM’s program director, said the annual radiothon is a showcase of what makes Fort St. John special.

“Every year, we see neighbours, businesses and families come together to support something bigger than ourselves,” Walker said. 

“Moose FM has been part of this community for decades, and giving back is simply who we are. To know that our listeners have helped raise over a million dollars for local healthcare since the beginning is something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s proof that when this community rallies together, amazing things happen.”

Last year’s Light a Moose radiothon also raised $153,000 in support of the foundation, helping fund the purchase of a piece of equipment called a MALDI machine for the hospital.