Airdate: Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon

QTQ Brisbane will conduct its very first Children’s Hospital Telethon tomorrow from 7.00pm.

Hosted by the Nine Network’s Sonia Kruger, Karl Stefanovic, Lisa Wilkinson, Richard Wilkins, Sylvia Jeffreys, Beau Ryan and Alison Ariotti, the four-hour fundraising extravaganza will broadcast live from the Brisbane Entertainment and Convention Centre and relayed to regional Queensland via WIN.

“Three months ago when we embarked on this production, I don’t think any of us anticipated the mammoth task ahead. Now, on the eve of one of Queensland’s biggest television productions in recent history, the journey creating this event has been wonderful,” said Kylie Blucher, Channel Nine Queensland Managing Director.

“I urge all viewers to get behind the Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon and dig deep for the sick kids and their families who will benefit from the funds we raise.”

Weekend Today will have extensive coverage on Saturday morning with the weather report live from the Royal Brisbane Children’s Hospital, and Nine will be crossing live to city locations throughout the day to highlight fundraising efforts.

The Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon aims to raise more than $9 million to help sick Queensland children and their families.

One hundred and twenty volunteers will be stationed at The Courier Mail and Sunday Mail headquarters in Bowen Hills where special phone lines have been installed to receive donations.

Funds raised will go towards the Children’s Hospital Foundation, the official charity of the Royal Children’s Hospital Brisbane and the new Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, which opens later this year. The Foundation aims to save lives and improve the health of sick children by funding research, medical equipment, clinical programs, and supporting patient care with a passionate 500+ volunteer workforce and patient entertainment programs.

Led by Nine News Queensland presenters Andrew Lofthouse, Melissa Downes and Garry Youngberry, Telethon crews have ventured as far north as Townsville, meeting young patients and their families to bring their stories of courage and hope to viewers.

Giving their time to raise donations will be Brisbane Broncos stars Sam Thaiday and Ben Barba; Wallabies and Queensland Reds representatives Quade Cooper and James Horwill; Olympic champions Sally Pearson and Libby Trickett; NRL legends Wally Lewis and Petero Civoniceva; former Australian test cricketers Ian Healy, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist; world champion boxer Alex Leapai; Big Brother’s Mike Goldman, Tim Dormer, Ben Zabel, Dion Kallis and Jake Richardson; and Brisbane radio personalities Labby and Stav from B105 breakfast, Ben Davis, Patrick Condren and Loretta Ryan from 4BC, Gary Clare from 4KQ, Nova’s Kip Wightman, and Hot Tomato and Nine News Gold Coast presenter Luke Bradnam.

The broadcast will open with a live performance by hit-maker Nathaniel, and throughout the night feature the talents of James Morrison, Karise Eden, Naomi Price, The Collective, Hey Geronimo, Logan’s Academy of Brothers and The Naked Magician. The cast of The Lion King, currently on stage at QPAC, will also perform especially for the Telethon.

Sending messages of encouragement will be Billy Idol, Joel and Benji Madden, Jimmy Barnes, Vance Joy, and Brisbane success band Sheppard.

One of the biggest Telethon undertakings will be a makeover by former contestants of The Block at Leonard Lodge in the Brisbane suburb of Herston.

Leonard Lodge is an accommodation facility currently attached to Brisbane Children’s Hospital and occupied by regional and out-of-town families who need treatment but don’t have access to the hospital, as well as families with children who require long-term ongoing treatment. At any one time up to 40 families live at the lodge, some for up to six months or more.

Trixie and Johnno, Queensland contestants from The Block Sky High, and Steve and Chantelle, winners of The Block Fans v Faves, will unite to redecorate a common area and family unit at the lodge in less 12 hours, thanks to the generous donation of goods and services from Mitre 10, Super Amart, The Good Guys and Curtain Wonderland.

Major sponsors and telecast partners of the Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon are the Queensland State Government, Queensland Health, The Courier Mail and The Sunday Mail, WIN Television, Suncorp, Woolworths, Golden Casket and The Coffee Club.

Donations can be made to the Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon in the following ways:

– phone 1800 909 900
– log on to www.9telethon.com.au
– visit a Suncorp Bank branch
– go to a Woolworths supermarket

7.00pm Saturday, October 11, on Channel Nine (Queensland).