For one week each summer, Camp Needles in the Pines transforms a traditional summer camp experience into something much more meaningful for children living with Type 1 diabetes. Located at Camp Boddie in Blounts Creek, campers spend their days kayaking, swimming, climbing, creating crafts and making lifelong friendships. Unlike most summer camps, however, every child at Camp Needles in the Pines shares a common bond: managing Type 1 diabetes.
Founded in 1985, Camp Needles in the Pines serves children ages 8 to 14, while older teens participate as counselors-in-training before eventually becoming counselors themselves. The camp is supported through a partnership between the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, ECU Health and ECU Health Foundation, with funding assistance from Children’s Miracle Network and community donors.
For Camp Director Mindy Saenz, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with ECU Health Pediatric Specialty Care, the camp’s impact extends far beyond outdoor activities and summer fun.
For Camp Director Mindy Saenz, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with ECU Health Pediatric Specialty Care, the camp’s impact extends far beyond outdoor activities and summer fun.
“A lot of the kids might be the only one in their whole school who has Type 1 diabetes,” Saenz said. “Here at camp, every single camper has Type 1 diabetes. Everybody counts carbs together, gets insulin together and understands exactly what everyone else is going through.”
This year, 51 campers from across North Carolina – and even one from Texas – attended camp. Throughout the week, they participated in activities including paddleboarding, archery, rifle and shotgun shooting, arts and crafts, STEM projects, ecology programs and a traditional camp talent show.
While camp looks like a typical summer camp on the surface, extensive planning ensures every camper can safely participate.
“The biggest thing is making sure we have enough medical staff,” Saenz said. “Each group has a medical staff person assigned to be with them at all times.”
Camp leaders also coordinate donated insulin, blood glucose testing supplies, glucose treatments and other medical necessities. Daily diabetes education and nutrition classes are woven into the schedule, helping campers build confidence in managing their condition.
Perhaps most importantly, campers are encouraged to celebrate milestones. Whether it is checking their blood sugar independently for the first time or changing an insulin pump site on their own, each achievement is recognized in front of fellow campers.
“We announce it and everybody cheers,” Saenz said. “It’s really about fostering independence and helping them realize they can do these things themselves.”
That sense of support and belonging is what keeps many campers coming back year after year.
Madelyn Sutter knows that feeling well. Now 18 and serving as a counselor-in-training, she has attended Camp Needles in the Pines since she was 8 years old.
“At home, my only experience was my sister also being Type 1,” Sutter said. “There was no one else in my school or sports. Being at camp, everyone is the same for once. Everyone has diabetes and everyone’s going through the same thing.”
Today, she enjoys helping younger campers navigate challenges she once faced herself.
“A lot of them have that same experience where there’s no one at home that’s going through the same thing as them,” she said. “I remember being their age, so I can help them get through whatever’s going on.”
Sutter said the community campers find at Camp Needles in the Pines is unlike anything else.
“It’s my favorite week of the year,” she said. “I count down the days.”
For 16-year-old counselor-in-training Kade McLawhorn, the relationships built at camp are the reason he returns every summer.
“It’s just the people,” McLawhorn said. “Year after year, having the same people you can hang out with and bond with. Sometimes we don’t get to see each other that much, but at least once a year we come together and make some great memories.”
In addition to supporting campers, Camp Needles in the Pines provides a unique learning environment for future health care providers. Dr. Caleb Oakley, a fourth-year Internal Medicine-Pediatrics resident at
ECU Health volunteered at camp this year while completing a pediatric endocrinology rotation.
“In the hospital, things are very black and white with protocols,” Dr. Oakley said. “When you come to camp, you get to see the art of medicine and how individualized diabetes care really is.”
Working alongside campers allowed Dr. Oakley to gain experience with insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors and the day-to-day realities of living with diabetes.
One of the moments that left the biggest impression on him was watching campers reach personal milestones.
“You can see how proud they are of themselves,” he said. “They’re away from home, outside their comfort zone, and taking big steps in managing their own care.”
Beyond the clinical experience, Dr. Oakley said camp also showed him the importance of community for children living with Type 1 diabetes.
“One thing I underappreciated before coming here was how different it can feel being a kid with Type 1 diabetes,” he said. “At camp, they’re not outsiders. This is the norm. They get to just be kids.”
For Saenz, that feeling of belonging remains at the heart of Camp Needles in the Pines nearly four decades after its founding.
“It’s really about being with other people who understand,” she said. “The friendships they build here last a lifetime.”
For more than four decades, Camp Rainbow and Camp Hope have given children with serious health conditions something rare: the chance to simply be kids.
Camp Rainbow, which began in 1982, and Camp Hope, established in 1991, serve children across eastern North Carolina with complex medical needs. Camp Rainbow welcomes children with cancer, hemophilia and other chronic bleeding disorders, while Camp Hope is designed specifically for children with sickle cell disease.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated team from ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology division, comprised of nurses, physicians, child life specialists, social workers and volunteers ensures campers are supported around the clock.
“This is a week where they can step away from hospitals and clinics,” said Tamika Mackey, child life specialist at the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and director of Camp Hope and Camp Rainbow. “They still take their medications, and we have 24-hour medical care available, but more importantly, they get to just be kids.”
This year, 56 campers joined for the week. While many arrive feeling nervous or unsure, that hesitation quickly fades.
“At the beginning, they’re a little nervous about being away from home,” Mackey said. “But by midweek, you can see the change. They’re having fun, making friends and trying new things.”
That transformation is one of the most powerful parts of the experience. Throughout the week, campers participate in activities like canoeing, paddleboarding, horseback riding, arts and crafts and challenge courses. New this year, a “Medals of Honor” program recognized campers for kindness, respect and helping others, reinforcing a sense of community and encouragement among peers.
But beyond the activities, it’s the connections that matter most.
For many campers, this is the first time they’ve met someone else living with the same condition.
“A lot of our campers come from rural eastern North Carolina where there aren’t many – if at all – kids going through the same diagnoses as them,” said Mackey. “It means a lot to them. They can talk about their experiences, their treatments, their time in the hospital. They realize they’re not alone.”
That sense of belonging is what keeps campers coming back, even long after their time as campers ends.
Landon Cherry, 17, has attended Camp Hope for years and says each summer offers something new.
“The people are great, the counselors are great, and every year feels like a new experience,” he said.
“You get new bunkmates, new friends.”
For Cherry, who has sickle cell disease, the camp provides something he can’t always find at home or school.
“We can relate to each other,” he said. “Everyone here has something different, but we understand what each other is going through.”
Whether swimming in the lake, participating in activities or simply spending time together, those shared experiences create strong bonds.
“You come here, and you can just have fun,” Cherry said. “That’s the best part.”
For some, the camp’s impact extends beyond childhood. Many volunteers were once campers themselves, returning to give back to a program that shaped their lives.
Jacy Gibbs, 20, first came to Camp Rainbow at age nine after being diagnosed with cancer. She immediately found a sense of connection and a sense of purpose.
“It felt reassuring to know there were other people like me,” she said. “Even though I had support around me at home, I still felt alone sometimes. Camp gave me a place where I didn’t have to think about that. I could just be normal.”
After attending as a camper for eight years, Gibbs is now in her third year as a counselor, fulfilling a goal she set for herself during that very first summer.
“I remember standing up on the last night of my first week of camp and saying I wanted to be a counselor one day,” she said. “Now I get to be that person for someone else.”
Today, she sees firsthand the same transformation she once experienced.
“It’s really special to watch the kids make connections and build friendships,” she said. “It brings out that inner child in me again.”
As a cancer survivor and college student at East Carolina University, Gibbs also recognizes the importance of being a visible example for campers.
“It means a lot to show them what’s possible,” she said. “That they can get through it and still live their lives.”
For Mackey, those full-circle moments are among the most meaningful.
“They want to come back and help the younger kids,” she said. “They want to encourage them to try new things, to build confidence, to feel supported.”
That support can even extend into medical milestones. Mackey noted that some campers gain the confidence to take medications independently after seeing their peers do the same — a small but meaningful step in their care journey.
Ultimately, Camp Rainbow and Camp Hope are about much more than a week away. They are about building confidence, fostering independence and creating lifelong connections, all while reminding children that their diagnosis does not define them.
“They come here unsure,” Mackey said. “But they leave with friendships, confidence and memories that stay with them long after camp ends.”
Camp Rainbow and Camp Hope are offered free of charge to children with chronic illnesses and were made possible this year by generous support and donations to the ECU Health Foundation and from
Children’s Miracle Network, the Pamlico Neuse Women’s Coalition, the James and Mamie Richardson Perkins Trust, the Mildred Sheffield Wells Charitable Trust, Jalen’s Nation, Beau’s Buddies and other individuals and civic organizations.
Greenville, NC – The 41st annual Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Celebration Broadcast raised an incredible $1,086,906 to support pediatric care at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center, bringing the total raised over four decades to $36.6 million. Thanks to the ongoing support of donors, volunteers and partners, children from across our region continue to receive the highest quality care, close to home.
Produced by longtime CMN partner WITN, this year’s broadcast highlighted the real-life impact of CMN support through heartfelt stories from patients, families and care teams at Maynard Children’s Hospital. The program demonstrated how community generosity helps ensure children throughout eastern North Carolina have access to exceptional pediatric care when they need it most, with a special $100,000 matching gift from a true friend of Maynard Children’s Hospital providing even greater support.
“The generosity displayed during this year’s telethon is a powerful reminder of what our community can accomplish when we come together,” said Elise Ironmonger, director of programs, ECU Health Foundation. “Every donation represents an investment in the health and future of local kids and families. We are deeply grateful to the businesses, organizations, volunteers and individual donors whose support helps Maynard Children’s Hospital provide advanced care, innovative treatments and hope for children throughout eastern North Carolina.”
Funds raised during the Celebration Broadcast ensure that children from across the region have access to the highest quality care, advanced medical equipment and life-saving programs. Each dollar raised stays local to support pediatric services at Maynard Children’s Hospital.
Major sponsors once again demonstrated their generosity, with the following top contributors each giving at least $100,000: Speedway, part of 7-11, Inc ($174,903), Walmart and Sam’s Club ($157,802), Music for Miracles Radiothon ($121,980) and Log A Load for Kids ($100,000).
The following sponsors each made a significant impact with donations totaling more than $20,000: Dance Arts Theatre ($34,814), Panda Express ($26,947) and Extra Life ($21,362).
The following organizations contributed between $5,000 and $20,000: Ace Hardware, American Builders, Barbour Hendrick Honda of Greenville, Dairy Queen, Eastern Radiologists, Miller and Friends Lemonade Stand, Ollie’s, Phi Mu, Pepsi/Minges Bottling Group and Publix.
Additional support came from these generous sponsors who contributed between $1,000 and $5,000: Ajay Ajmera, Arun Ajmera, Beaufort Hardware and Print Company, Builder’s Discount Center, Care-O-World, Grady-White Boats, Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby, P.A., RE/MAX, Oasis Shrine, Piratethon, Ricci Law Firm, Stallings Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning, Valvoline, Walgreens and Wawa.
The local CMN fundraising program is staffed and supported by the ECU Health Foundation, the non-profit charitable corporation that serves as the custodian for all financial gifts and bequests to ECU Health and the colleges and schools of the Health Sciences at ECU. The ECU Health Foundation oversees allocation of all donated funds.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health’s Office of Community Health is expanding its summer meals program in partnership with Food Lion Feeds, Sodexo and the ECU Health Foundation, adding three new locations to bring nutritious meals to kids while school is out. The summer meal program will be offered in six eastern North Carolina communities — Ahoskie, Greenville, Tarboro, with new locations in Edenton, Roanoke Rapids and Windsor.
“We are excited to continue offering healthy meals during the summer months, and our expansion to Edenton, Roanoke Rapids and Windsor reflects ECU Health’s commitment to nutrition and overall health,” said KaSheta Jackson, vice president of Community Health at ECU Health. “For many children, school is where they receive their most consistent meals and many parents struggle to provide meals when school is out. ECU Health’s Summer Meal Program helps fill that gap, ensuring kids and teens are nourished and healthy during months when school is not in session.”
Meals will be available Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the following dates and locations:
- Ahoskie: The Gathering Place, 701 Church St., June 8-Aug. 20
- Edenton: Shepard-Pruden Library, 106 W. Water St., June 8-Aug. 20
- Greenville: York Memorial AME Zion Church, 201 Tyson St., June 15-Aug. 20
- Roanoke Rapids: East 10th Street Christian Church, 1207 E. 10th St., June 8-Aug. 20
- Tarboro: Braswell Community Center, 1501 Western Boulevard, June 8-Aug. 20
- Windsor: Bertie Cooperative Extension, 104 Lancaster Avenue, June 8-Aug. 20
Since 2021, ECU Health and its partners have provided free meals over the summer. In 2025 alone, the program served more than 4,500 meals.
Greenville, N.C. – The Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Celebration Broadcast returns May 29 and May 31, continuing a longtime tradition of sharing inspiring stories of hope, healing and resilience from children treated at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. Each story highlights the extraordinary care provided to thousands of children and families across eastern North Carolina every year.
“Behind every miracle story is a child, a family and a team of providers and caregivers working together through some of life’s most difficult moments,” said Elise Ironmonger, director of programs for the ECU Health Foundation. “This broadcast celebrates those journeys and the generosity that helps make exceptional care possible. Every child featured during the broadcast represents countless other children whose lives have been changed forever because of the generosity of our community. We’re honored to share these stories and invite viewers to join us in our 41st year of Making Big Change for All Kids!”
The 2026 CMN Celebration Broadcast will air on longtime partner WITN from 8-11 p.m. Friday, May 29, and 6-11 a.m. Sunday, May 31.
Throughout the broadcast, viewers will see firsthand how donations to Children’s Miracle Network support programs, services and equipment that help children receive the highest level of care close to home. Every story demonstrates the lasting impact philanthropy has on local children and families.
This year’s miracle children and stories will include:
- Preston Billiar, Age 4
- Stella Fleming, Age 14
- Roman Jackson, Age 3
- Wyatt Mitchell, Age 8
- Mille Mae Paramore, Age 7 months
- Fendi Perry, Age 6
- Rawlings Warren, Age 1
The 2026 broadcast will spotlight the exceptional care delivered each day at Maynard Children’s Hospital while celebrating the hope and healing made possible by generous community support. Thanks to donors across eastern North Carolina, thousands of children receive the specialized medical care they need each year. With continued support, the team at Maynard Children’s Hospital can ensure every child receives the best care possible today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
The local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program is staffed and supported by the ECU Health Foundation, a non-profit charitable corporation that serves as the custodian for all financial gifts and bequests to ECU Health and the colleges and schools of the health sciences at East Carolina University. The ECU Health Foundation oversees allocation of all donated funds. To donate, please call 1-800-673-5437 or visit givetocmn.com.
A program at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University that prepares high achieving medical students to make a tangible impact on health care in eastern North Carolina and beyond will expand thanks to the generosity of the family that has championed medical education across the region for nearly 50 years. It coincides with the looming completion of the newly named Brody Center for Medical Education, which is expected to open in the 2027-28 academic year.
The family’s gift was announced in March by East Carolina University and ECU Health Foundation. The family’s name will now grace the upcoming Brody Center for Medical Education in honor of their generosity.
Over 10 percent of ECU Health’s 443 residents and fellows are graduates of the Brody School of Medicine. Recent data also shows about 40 Brody Scholars continue to practice medicine in eastern North Carolina. They are among the 90 scholars who practice across North Carolina.
“The Brody family’s gift is an investment in the future of health care in eastern North Carolina and the state as a whole,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, ECU Health CEO and dean of the Brody School of Medicine. “The Brody School of Medicine produces more doctors that stay in the state than any other medical school in North Carolina, and the more students we can give the opportunity to pursue their passion for medicine the better.
“The Brody family understands the value that we bring to our state and local communities,” Waldrum continued. “They were so gracious to continue to support our students in their career development.”
The Brody Scholars Program completely covers academic costs for medical students, who are selected through an objective process coordinated by the Brody Scholars Steering Committee, who seek to award the scholarship to the ‘best of the best’ of the incoming class. The school’s commitment to the scholars totals approximately $133,000 annually, or about $500,000 a year per class to cover the financial cost of attendance.
Abby Ulffers is a third-year medical student and Brody Scholar who is eastern North Carolina to the core. Born at then-Pitt County Memorial Hospital, now ECU Health Medical Center, the Greenville native plans to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology. The Brody Scholars Program does more than alleviate the financial pressure of medical school, she said.
“I never thought the Brody Scholars Program was a possibility for me,” Ulffers said. “The financial relief in being able to attend medical school does a lot for me. However, it is more than a scholarship. We do professional development exercises and a book club where you are interacting with people who have such unique perspectives on life. I’ve made so many friends and gained mentors. It’s a great networking experience that shapes the way you behave in a clinical environment and how you engage with your peers, colleagues and professors.”
Dr. Mary Windham Lenfestey, a fellow Greenville native, was one of two students in the Brody Scholars Program’s 2012 class. She said the tight-knit community of scholars transcends academic years. That is something she wants to pass on, as she now splits her time between practicing general pediatrics in Greenville and teaching at the Brody School of Medicine, where she also serves as a house dean. The newly implemented house dean program is a learning community to provide students support in the course of their studies.
“As a community, the Brody School of Medicine is certainly growing but remains a close-knit place,” Lenfestey said. “As a student, I really felt like my mentors and professors cared about me as a person. I was incredibly fortunate to have that experience, and I think it impacted my desire to come back and be involved in the medical education side of things.
“Being from Greenville, I love eastern North Carolina so I’m excited that I can practice medicine here and help guide future generations of students. Everything from the endowment to the new Center for Medical Education is a fantastic opportunity to grow what we can offer our students and, in turn, our patients.”
The Brody Center for Medical Education will expand the Brody School of Medicine’s class size to 120 students. The facility consists of simulation spaces, outdoor gathering areas, and a new anatomy lab where students can develop their skills. The new $265 million facility is funded by the state of North Carolina.
Hyman Brody said that the $10 million donation continues his family’s decades-long legacy of supporting health care in eastern North Carolina. In the late 1960s and 1970s his father and uncles began to help then-ECU chancellor Leo Jenkins successfully advocate for a medical school at the university. The school opened in 1977 and was renamed for the Brody family in 1999.
Hyman Brody shared those thoughts in front of “Hands of Hope,” the sculpture that adorns the lobby of the Eastern North Carolina Heart Institute. Depicting a pair of hands holding a human heart, the statue was dedicated in 2010 to the memory of Hyman’s uncle, J.S. “Sammy” Brody.
“Uncle Sammy said we’re here to do good, but we’re also here to do good for others,” Hyman Brody said. “When we look at what these students achieve and what they can do, that’s what our gift reflects.”
Hyman Brody said he is excited to see the relationship between ECU Health, ECU and his family continue to grow in the future.
“I think ECU Health has done a great job integrating the hospital and the medical school,” Brody said. “At this point, I think the sky is the limit. There are challenges faced in all medical areas, but the leadership team understands and is working to address them. We are glad to be a small part of it.”
For more information about the Brody Center for Medical Education, click here.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health is proud to announce $2.6 million in grants awarded by The Duke Endowment for projects that will help advance the health system’s mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. The grants include: $600,000 to expand and integrate the Healthier Lives at School and Beyond program into ECU Health’s electronic health record and $1,295,065 to participate as a site for the Bridge to Health Initiative. An additional $710,000 was awarded to ECU Health’s Primary Care Learning Center.
“The Duke Endowment’s support allows ECU Health to launch and bolster existing programs that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of people across eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Scott Senatore, chief philanthropy officer, ECU Health Foundation.
“These grants help us expand access to care, strengthen our clinical workforce and address long standing barriers that impact health outcomes in our region. We are honored by this investment and energized by the opportunity to build healthier communities together.”
$600,000 to the Healthier Lives at School and Beyond program
Healthier Lives at School and Beyond is a school-based telehealth program that has historically provided interdisciplinary care – quality nutrition education and counseling, behavioral health, and acute minor medical care services – directly into rural school settings. The program was launched in 2016 by the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (ECU) and is now a collaborative effort between ECU and ECU Health and has added pediatric asthma services. The program has steadily expanded since its 2016 inception in Duplin County and has been awarded new funding to broaden its evidence-based tele-behavioral services for students across rural eastern North Carolina. The program has become a vital access point for pediatric mental health care in communities facing severe provider shortages, high poverty rates and significant barriers to treatment. The grant funding will support program integration into ECU Health’s electronic health record (EPIC), provide access to ECU and ECU Health physicians and clinics and streamline continuity of care for the child. The grant also supports the expansion of virtual counseling and school-based care coordination into Hertford and Bertie counties and provides continued support in Duplin, Jones, and Sampson (Clinton City Schools) counties, reaching more than 17,000 students and 2,300 staff members. Telehealth services will be available Monday-Friday during normal school hours, and providers will work with local school staff to minimize the time students are away from class. Telehealth-enabled care will also be made available to teachers and staff of each school.
$1,295,065 for Bridge to Health
This grant will establish the ECU Health Transitional Care Clinic, designed to bridge the gap between hospital discharge and long-term primary care for high-risk adults in Pitt County. Building on the existing ECU Health Immediate Care Clinic – Greenville, the new clinic will expand medical and social support services, trauma informed care and coordinated referrals to community partners with a goal of improving long term health trajectories and quality of life for patients with complex needs who face significant medical and socioeconomic challenges. These patients lack a primary care provider and face significant social and economic barriers – factors that contribute to avoidable emergency department use and hospital readmissions. Using EPIC’s Risk for Readmission score, eligible patients will receive follow up within 7–14 days of discharge, with a goal of serving 400 patients annually and reducing avoidable emergency department use and readmissions.
$710,000 to ECU Health’s Primary Care Learning Center
The ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center will be a new clinic in North Greenville. Its focus is to expand access to care for underserved populations, provide a training site for our growing class size of the BSOM, and foster an appreciation for the field of primary care in an effort to increase our pipeline of physicians choosing that specialty. The center will serve as a fully integrated primary care medical home staffed by family physicians, advanced practice providers and interprofessional teams. The clinic will offer comprehensive services including access to behavioral health, social work, nutrition, health coaching, pharmacy support, and lab services. An additional goal is to address the significant barriers of access to care that drive avoidable emergency department use in the region, where more than 50,000 ED visits each year are considered preventable. The Primary Care Learning Center will provide consistent access for underserved residents while strengthening the workforce pipeline for rural eastern North Carolina.
Medical students at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University marked a decade of raising funds, awareness and hair for pediatric patients with cancer during the Pirates Vs. Cancer spring event at the ECU Health Sciences Campus Student Center on April 10.
Pirates Vs. Cancer is a student-driven initiative dedicated to supporting children and families facing cancer. The event is organized by a board of about 10 first-year medical students who coordinated events like hair donations, professional haircuts from local barbers and hairdressers, raffles, face-painting and family-friendly activities. Students, faculty and visitors enjoyed a bounce house and bracelet-making station donated by local businesses. The American Red Cross, National Bone Marrow Registry and Riley’s Army hosted tables with prizes, games and information for attendees.
Pirates Vs. Cancer was founded by Brody students in 2017 and has raised over $176,000 in the past 10 years for patients at the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. Ahead of the April 10 event, this year’s board had already raised more than $14,000 for the cause.
Sebastian Williams, president of Pirates Vs. Cancer, said the decade-long effort is on the verge of reaching a new fundraising benchmark.
“We’re really excited because we’re hoping that we hit $200,000 of money raised for Maynard Children’s Hospital from Pirates Vs. Cancer over the years,” said Williams. “We’re almost there.”
Williams helps coordinate fundraisers throughout the year and works with local partners to support the cause. He said the event also brings together students from across ECU’s health sciences programs.
“The dental, medical, nursing students all come out and just interact with each other, take a break from studying, and also have fun with the kids and doctors,” said Williams.
Alex Tiet, Pirates Vs. Cancer’s vice president, said the annual event allows students to educate people on and off campus about pediatric cancer. He said that mission is particularly important since ECU Health serves a largely rural 29-county region in eastern North Carolina.
“We are a historically underserved and underrepresented population, so it’s great to have these student life organizations start these conversations in eastern North Carolina,” Tiet said. “As one of the largest student life organizations on campus, it feels like our responsibility to advocate for people and patients who are navigating a life-changing diagnosis that comes with its own array of challenges. Lending a helping hand feels like the least we can do.”
Williams himself was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age six.
“It took a huge toll on my family because my family had no history of huge medical complications, and all of a sudden I find out one day that I have cancer,” Williams said.
He underwent three years of chemotherapy – a period he described as physically and emotionally taxing. That’s why events like Pirates Vs. Cancer matter, he said.
“We have the people who have come out to donate hair, and the hair that’s donated will be used to make wigs for the kids who are going through chemo,” Williams said. “As someone who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, I also had to go through that process as a kid where I lost all my hair.”
Williams said he opted for hats during his own treatment, but he knows how meaningful wigs can be for children who want to feel “more like their normal selves” during an incredibly difficult time.
“Having these wigs made for them just helps alleviate the stress that they’re already going through,” Williams said.
Tiet was among the students who volunteered to donate his hair to the cause. Before he sat down in the barber’s chair, he and his fellow donors were more excited than one might expect to undergo a fairly dramatic, albeit short-lived transformation.
“Pediatric cancer awareness has been a passion of mine since I was an undergraduate student, so taking a little off the top feels like a very minor sacrifice to support these patients and their families,” Tiet said. “Some of these treatments take weeks, months or even years and are very taxing on patients.
“I have not had a buzzcut since maybe middle school, so it’s going to be a change of pace,” Tiet continued. “Feeling the breeze going through my scalp will be nice. Hopefully my hair can bring a sense of normalcy to these patients. They can use it better than I can.”
One hundred percent of the funds raised by Pirates vs. Cancer are donated to the ECU Health Foundation to benefit programs at Maynard Children’s Hospital. If you would like to donate to Pirates Vs. Cancer, please visit give.ecuhealthfoundation.org/campaign/2026-pirates-vs-cancer/c758778.
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Radio listeners will once again help make a big change for kids during the 29th annual Music for Miracles radiothon March 26-27. The radiothon raises funds to help sick and injured children in eastern North Carolina through Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) to benefit the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center and will air on 107.9 WNCT and all Inner Banks Media (IBX Media) radio stations including Talk 96.3 and 103.7; Oldies 94.1 and 102.7; and 94.3 The Game.
The two-day radiothon raises funds to benefit the programs and services of Maynard Children’s Hospital, which serves pediatric inpatient and outpatient patients from 29 counties across eastern North Carolina. One hundred percent of the funds raised by ECU Health’s CMN program directly supports programs and services of Maynard Children’s Hospital.
“Once again, we are thrilled to have the radiothon on all our IBX Media stations to raise funds for James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. It’s the highlight of our year to support the Children’s Hospital,” said Henry Hinton, president, Inner Banks Media. “I’ve personally had a grandson who needed care there, and it is a true blessing for all of eastern North Carolina to have it here. We’re looking forward to two exciting days and hope everyone will participate as they are able.”
In 1998, the first radiothon raised $5,400. Last year, the radiothon raised more than $113,000. Thanks to the loyal listeners of 107.9 and the dedicated radio staff and personalities, the event has raised more than $4 million to date. At Maynard Children’s Hospital, these funds have been used to purchase life-saving medical equipment and diversionary items for kids, provide team member and patient education and to help build new facilities.
“The radiothon continues to be one of our most impactful annual traditions, and we are deeply grateful for the steadfast dedication of the 107.9 WNCT team and everyone at Inner Banks Media,” said Elise Ironmonger, director of programs for the ECU Health Foundation. “Their commitment to broadcasting live for 12 hours across two consecutive days, supported by countless hours of planning and behind-the-scenes coordination is truly remarkable. This event is made possible through the partnership of hospital leaders, team members and, above all, the courageous miracle children and families who generously share their stories. We invite everyone to tune in and be inspired by the hope and healing this event helps make possible.”
The entire 24 hours of the radiothon will be broadcast live on 107.9 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Thursday and Friday, with the other stations broadcasting intermittently throughout the two days. To give, please call 1-800-673-5437 (1-800-673-KIDS) or visit www.GiveToCMN.com.
Pirates vs. Cancer, a student‑driven initiative dedicated to supporting children and families facing cancer, is set to host its annual spring fundraising event on April 10 at the ECU Health Sciences Campus. Led by medical, dental and allied health students, Pirates vs. Cancer brings together the entire health sciences community for a day of giving, celebration and solidarity with pediatric patients.
The spring event will feature hair donations, professional haircuts provided by a local barber, raffles, and a variety of family‑friendly activities. Students have also secured support from local businesses, including the donation of a bounce house and supplies for bracelet‑making and face painting so pediatric patients can join in the fun. The American Red Cross, National Bone Marrow Registry and Rylee’s Army will be in attendance, too.
“We really want this to be a fun, uplifting day where students, families and the community can come together for a meaningful cause,” said Sebastian Williams, president of the Pirates vs. Cancer leadership team and a first-year medical student (M1). “Our goal is to raise funds, raise awareness and show our pediatric patients that they have an entire Pirate Nation behind them.”
For Williams, fundraising for pediatric cancer patients is a full circle moment. At age six, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and spent three years undergoing chemotherapy. Now, more than a decade later, he is studying to be an oncologist and helping kids whose circumstances are all too familiar.
“I understand what these kids are going through,” Williams said. “It’s a huge, life-changing event. You have to go through chemo treatment for months, for years, and you can’t do the same things that other kids do. I had to quit all my sports. I had to quit other activities because my body just couldn’t handle it, my immune system was basically not functional.
“Doing an event like Pirates vs. Cancer is a rewarding experience for me. I can give these kids what I wish I had. This is the whole reason I want to become a physician and continue this endeavor to help children with cancer.”
One hundred percent of the funds raised by Pirates vs. Cancer is donated to ECU Health Foundation to benefit programs at the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. Some of those programs have included camps and other programs specifically designed to provide pediatric patients with childhood experiences.
Among the most tangible examples of the group’s efforts is on the Maynard Children’s Hospital’s second floor. In 2024, Pirates vs. Cancer funds were designated to renovate a playroom and fill it with toys, games, crafts and technology that help patients take their mind off procedures and just be kids.
“We were able to almost double the size of this playroom for these kids and add so many more interactive features,” said Elise Ironmonger, director of programs at the ECU Health Foundation. “It’s really a place of respite for them when they are facing treatment for months, weeks at a time.”
Pirates Vs. Cancer was founded by Brody School of Medicine students in 2017 and has raised over $176,000 in the past 10 years. Leadership and participants are composed of students, faculty and staff from the School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Allied Health Sciences and the Undergraduate campus. Together, they raise funds that directly impact their community.
“It’s wonderful to see where the money physically impacts the kids’ experience at the hospital,” Williams said.
Pirates vs. Cancer continues to grow as a signature philanthropic effort on the Health Sciences Campus, uniting future health professionals around a shared commitment to compassion, service and advocacy for children battling cancer.
Local businesses have been invited to sponsor the event, with a March 20 deadline for inclusion on event T‑shirts and promotional materials. While sponsorships for the spring event are closing soon, community members are welcome to donate at any time, and businesses will have additional opportunities to support the larger Pirates vs. Cancer fall event later this year.
To donate, please visit: https://give.ecuhealthfoundation.org/campaign/2026-pirates-vs-cancer/c758778