Rob Duffy
TSN – TSN – CTV News – CTV News Channel – CP24 – BNN Bloomberg – iHeartRadio
CTV Atlantic Celebrates 30 Years of Leading the IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN, a Multi-Day Celebration Airing May 29-31
– CTV Atlantic’s Todd Battis, Maria Panopalis, and Steve Murphy lead the IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN on Sunday, May 31 –
– The annual Telethon Tribute show, starring Neon Dreams, Reeny Smith, Wolf Castle, Joce Reyome, and Ian Janes, returns Saturday, May 30 –
– The event begins Friday, May 29 with the IWK RADIOTHON, airing across five iHeartRadio Canada stations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia –
– Donations can be made by phone at 1-800-595-2266 or online at iwkfoundation.org –
– The annual Telethon Tribute show, starring Neon Dreams, Reeny Smith, Wolf Castle, Joce Reyome, and Ian Janes, returns Saturday, May 30 –
– The event begins Friday, May 29 with the IWK RADIOTHON, airing across five iHeartRadio Canada stations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia –
– Donations can be made by phone at 1-800-595-2266 or online at iwkfoundation.org –
HALIFAX (May 26, 2026) – CTV Atlantic celebrates a major milestone this year as the station marks 30 years of delivering the IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN, a signature broadcast supporting the IWK Health Centre, the region’s largest hospital for women, children, youth, and families.
This year, CTV Atlantic teams up with iHeartRadio Canada stations across the region for the multi-day event, spanning Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31.
Produced in partnership with the IWK Foundation, the beloved annual Telethon has grown from early in-hospital broadcasts to a multi-day event at Halifax’s Light House Arts Centre, connecting audiences across platforms while showcasing the direct impacts of donor support.
“It continues to be a great honour for our organization to contribute to such a meaningful and impactful initiative for the past 30 years,” said Trent McGrath, General Manager, CTV Atlantic / Bell Media Radio Atlantic. “Many staff who were part of the Telethon in its early years return to CTV annually – even in retirement – simply because of their deep connection to the show.”
The IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN is a multi-day celebration involving staff from both CTV Atlantic and iHeartRadio Canada. It begins Friday, May 29 with the annual IWK RADIOTHON, airing across five iHeartRadio Canada stations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia beginning at 6 a.m. AT. Listeners can tune in to hear inspiring stories from IWK patients and their families, and make donations over the phone or online at any of the participating radio stations’ websites.
On Saturday, May 30, the two-hour musical special A TELETHON TRIBUTE airs at 7 p.m. AT, live on CTV and streaming on Crave through the live CTV channel. Hosted by Jonathan Torrens and CTV’s Katie Kelly, the special features performances from Maritime artists such as Neon Dreams, Ian Janes, Reeny Smith, Joce Reyome, Wolf Castle, and more.
CTV Atlantic delivers Maritimers the IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN on Sunday, May 31, airing from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. AT on CTV and streaming on Crave through the live CTV channel. The Telethon spotlights patients and families who have received specialized care at the IWK along with the donors who generously support the cause.
As the IWK Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser, the IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN supports the organization’s most urgent priority needs, including up-to-date equipment, advanced technology, research, and improved facilities.
“For 30 years, CTV Atlantic has been an invaluable partner in our largest fundraising event of the year, and we are deeply grateful for its longstanding commitment to Maritime children, youth, and families,” said Jennifer Gillivan, President and CEO, IWK Foundation. “Their extraordinary generosity, compassion, and steadfast support have helped make the telethon and radiothon a meaningful force for good in our community. We are sincerely appreciative of this enduring partnership and the impact it continues to have on the lives of Maritimers.”
Many familiar faces from CTV Atlantic appear on the 2026 IWK TELETHON FOR CHILDREN, including CTV NEWS AT SIX Chief Anchor Todd Battis; CTV NEWS AT FIVE host Maria Panopalis; reporters Stephanie Tsicos, Emma Convey, and Katie Kelly; CTV NATIONAL NEWS Nova Scotia correspondent Paul Hollingsworth; Chief Meteorologist Kalin Mitchell, and CTV YOUR MORNING ATLANTIC’s Amanda Debison, Lataevia Beezer, and Crystal Garrett.
Longtime Telethon host and CTV Atlantic special correspondent Steve Murphy returns, along with former CTV host Jayson Baxter, and 42-year Telethon veteran Bill Carr. Halifax’s MOVE Radio morning show hosts Erin Hopkins and Peter Harrison join the broadcast, along with special appearances by iHeartRadio Canada personalities live on Sunday’s show.
Donations can be made by phone at 1-800-595-2266 or online at iwkfoundation.org.
Coverage is also available for listeners across Canada via audio livestream on iHeart.com and the iHeartRadio Canada app.
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About the IWK Foundation
The IWK Foundation is a champion of excellence in women and children’s healthcare and research, and mental health and addictions for children and youth. The IWK Foundation is the primary fundraising organization for IWK Health, working in partnership with IWK Health to support their vision of providing quality care to women, children, youth, and families in our community. The IWK is a national co-owner and partner of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations and a member of the national Women’s Health Collective Canada. Visit www.iwkfoundation.org for more information.
About CTV News
CTV News is the leading provider of digital, national, and local news in Canada. In addition to operating a network of local newsrooms across the country, CTV News services include CTV News Channel, CP24, BNN Bloomberg, the CTV News FAST Channel, and information programs including CTV NATIONAL NEWS, POWER PLAY, and QUESTION PERIOD. Flagship news sites include CTVNews.ca, as well as CP24.com and BNNBloomberg.ca, and are complemented by the CTV News, CP24, and BNN Bloomberg apps, which provide a direct connection to CTV News anytime and anywhere. With a perspective that is distinctly Canadian, CTV News brings Canadians the international and domestic news stories of the day and is the #1 digital and national news organization in Canada. CTV News is from Bell Media, Canada’s leading media and entertainment company, with a portfolio of assets in premium video, audio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media.
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