Donate to the K99.1FM Cares For Kids Radiothon

DAYTON — Radio station K 99.1 FM will host the annual Care for Kids Radiothon on Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The broadcast raises funds to support the Canine Co-Pilots program at Dayton Children’s Hospital.

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The Canine Co-Pilots program helps hospitalized children and their families navigate care while offering comfort through specially trained facility dogs. The dogs assist young patients by providing emotional support before medical procedures and encouraging physical movement during recovery.

Christy Rowe, manager of Child Life at Dayton Children’s Hospital, oversees the Canine Co-Pilots initiative. Rowe explained that the program began with a single facility dog and evolved as staff recognized how animals motivate young patients.

“We started with a facility dog and started our Canine Co-Pilots program,” Rowe said. “Because, to be honest, there are things that kids will do for a dog that they won’t do for us as a human. So, for example, if we need a patient to get up and walk after they’ve had surgery, they’re like, no thanks, I don’t want to walk. But we’re like, oh, do you want to walk our dog? And they’re like, I do.”

The program currently has four facility dogs, including Red and Luna. Hospital plans call for expanding the unit to six dogs, each paired with its own trained handler.

The four-legged employees function as hospital staff members, complete with their own official badges and health insurance. Funds raised from last year’s radiothon paid for a brand new fenced enclosure at the hospital, giving the dogs a dedicated area to rest and play between patient visits.

“Here we have, like, our fenced-in area,” Rowe said. “Because the dogs, they need a place to play. They need a place to be. And then they can have all their things and all their toys and everything in here. So when you think about the program, it’s not just the dog; it’s everything that goes with it to help make it successful.”

Rowe noted the progress of the initiative, saying it is impactful “to see what this program is going to see its growth, to see its opportunity.”

In the 29 years since its inception, the Cares For Kids Radiothon has raised nearly $6.3 million to secure life-saving equipment, supplies, expanded services, and an additional pediatric transport intensive care unit for the hospital.

The 12-hour radiothon broadcast takes place Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.