Rady Children's Hospital Giveathon Lights The Way For The New Year

SAN DIEGO, CA — Just over seven years ago, parents Shane and Kate Gibson hovered outside their premature daughter Scarlett's incubator at the Rady Children's Hospital NICU, surrounded by caring nurses and doctors. This week, they stood and watched her ice skate as they came to the Rady Children's Ice Rink to share their story and promote the Rady Children's Foundation for the annual Giveathon.

The Rady's Ice Rink is located at 2875 Dewey Road, San Diego.

The Rady Children's Foundation fundraiser runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Wednesday and Thursday and is supported by iHeart Radio stations across San Diego and the Inland Empire. During that time, Rady Children's current and past patients and their families would be on-air, sharing their stories of hope and healing made possible by the generosity and support of donors and community members.

On Thursday, mother Katie Gibson held her baby Claire while Scarlett put on ice skates with her dad. Scarlett hung on the rink wall and ultimately skated on her own at the Rady Children's Hospital holiday ice rink in advance of the fundraiser, all because the nurses and doctors at Rady Children's gave their daughters a chance at life.

"Between both of our two girls who were each born premature, we spent a combined total of 107 days in the NICU at Rady Children's," Shane Gibson told Patch. "Those days were both spent at the main unit in San Diego and the Rady Children's Hospital NICU at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta."

For the fourth year in a row, the Gibson family is sharing their story to promote giving to the hospital, and Scarlett was interviewed by a radio host, telling her story in her own words.

Gibson says he and his wife watched Scarlett proudly as the radio hosts interviewed her. She was "open and engaged" during her talk. Then, she skated to her heart's content.

"Our daughter Scarlett loved ice skating and couldn't wait to get there," he said. "She had fun last year and knew what to look forward to for this year's event. She was a little rusty on the ice at first but started getting the hang of it as she kept trying and letting go of the wall."

The Gibson family looks forward to participating in the giveathon next week, as it is a part of what helps pediatric healthcare workers do their work, he says. It is rewarding to bring back their happy and healthy children so they can see the fruits of the hospital's excellent care.

"Scarlett always loves talking to the DJs like Beto at Rock 105.3," he said. "We are forever grateful for Rady Children's Hospital and its amazing staff," he said. Time spent with the NICU nurses will never be forgotten, he said. "They spent so much time getting to know us while making our time in the unit so much easier to bear."

Tune in to your favorite iHeart Radio Station to hear more on Dec. 7 and 8, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.