Yee haw! Hawaii's only children's hospital is rounding up some bandits for a good cause. Change Bandits that is! They're looking for some folks to rustle up some cash. Ramsay Wharton is live this morning at Big City Diner at the Ward Entertainment Center to tell us what all the fuss is about.

The Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network is kicking off its annual Radiothon for KIDS! by forming a statewide posse of volunteer "Change Bandits" for Hawaii's critically ill children. Change Bandits is a powerful grassroots fund raising effort designed to help turn spare change into big miracles for children treated at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children. By collecting change, dollars, and checks from friends and family, Change Bandits will help to ensure that Hawaii's sick and injured kids have access to the finest medical care when they need it.

The Change Bandits campaign runs August 1 - 20 with a special event on August 13 at Tamarind Park, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Partners include Clear Channel radio stations KSSK, Star 101.9, Island 98.5 and Hot 93.9, as well as the Honolulu Star Bulletin, MidWeek and Big City Diner. Change Bandits wraps just before the annual Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network Radiothon for KIDS!, broadcast live on KSSK Radio from Kapi`olani Medical Center's cafeteria August 21-22.

To become a Change Bandit, log on to www.kapiolani.org and click on the Change Bandits icon, call the Kapiolani Health Foundation at 951-KIDS, or visit the websites of any of the participating Clear Channel radio stations and complete the registration form. Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network will "deputize" Change Bandits with a collection kit including a bandit's mask, badge, bandanna, bag and WANTED poster to alert folks to our mission. Next step: get out there and "seize" all the loose change you can!

Thanks to the program's turnkey nature, Change Bandits gives everyone, from a small child to an entire corporate office, the chance to raise money for the Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network. Stacey Acma, director of the Kapiolani Children's Miracle Network, said, "We invite everyone to join the posse and become a Change Bandit. This kind of grassroots effort reminds all of us that every little bit counts. Together we can make a big difference for the children of Hawaii." One hundred percent of all donations to Change Bandits, the Radiothon for KIDS! and Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network stay in Hawaii to benefit critically ill and injured children.

During the 2-day Radiothon for KIDS! event, former and current Kapi'olani Medical Center pediatric patients, and the dedicated physicians, nurses and other health care professionals who care for them, will share their stories live from a temporary studio in the hospital's cafeteria. Listeners can make a donation by calling (808) 951-KIDS or going online at www.kapiolani.org.

About Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children is Hawaii's only Pediatric Specialty Hospital and High Risk Maternity Center. With 197 beds and 90 bassinets, Kapiolani
Medical Center is a tertiary care medical teaching and research facility specializing in the care and treatment of women, infants and children. Pediatric services for children throughout the state and Pacific Region include intensive care for infants and children, 24-hour emergency care and pediatric air transport. It is one of only 170 designated Children's Miracle Network hospitals in North America.

About Kapi'olani Health Foundation. The compassionate and quality care provided by the physicians, nurses and staff at
Kapi'olani Medical Center (and its affiliate Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi) is supported in numerous ways by the Kapi'olani Health Foundation.

• PATIENT SERVICES & PROGRAMS: Community support helps provide
  comprehensive patient services and programs. Kapi'olani's family-centered
  approach to healthcare creates an environment in which women, children and
  their families can heal together.
• CAPITAL: Keeping Hawaii's only children's hospital and its medical
  equipment up to date is critical to providing quality care in the 21st
  century. Kapi'olani Medical Center was built in the 1970s but since then, the
  science and technology of medicine has improved exponentially. There is an
  urgent need to renovate and expand the hospital. Philanthropic support of
  capital improvements at Kapi'olani Medical Center will remain a focal effort for
  the Kapi'olani Health Foundation in the coming years.
• RESEARCH & EDUCATION: Community support helps fund vital health
  education and community outreach programs. It also supports critical
  research in the areas of prenatal, neonatal and children's medicine so
  outcomes are improved and new treatments are discovered.
• UNCOMPENSATED CARE: As a mission-driven hospital, Kapi`olani Medical
  Center provides quality care to all who need it, regardless of their ability to
  pay. Community support helps carry out this important mission.
  About Hawaii Pacific Health Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi, Straub Clinic & Hospital and Wilcox Memorial Hospital are the four hospital affiliates of the non-profit healthcare organization Hawaii Pacific Health. Its mission is to provide the highest quality healthcare and services to the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Region. Hawaii Pacific Health administrative offices are located at 55 Merchant Street, 26th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Telephone: (808) 535-7100.

About Children's Miracle Network Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and
improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.

To learn more go to www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org.

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