What: The 37^th annual Mix 106.5 radiothon benefiting Johns Hopkins Children’s Center kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 26 through Friday, Feb. 27. Airing on the Baltimore radio station throughout the two days, the radiothon is the Children’s Center’s largest fundraiser of the year.   

Since it began in 1989, the annual radiothon has raised more than $31 million for the Children’s Center. Through the generosity of donors to the two-day fundraiser, physicians, clinicians and staff members are able to continue providing world-class care to pediatric patients, while supporting their families during a time of great stress. Funds raised in previous years have helped the Children’s Center purchase lifesaving medical equipment, support patient care, fund important research, and develop innovative tools and programs. The funds also help to buy books, toys, games, art supplies and more to help make each child’s experience more comfortable while they are in the hospital. Patients from around the United States come to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center to receive the highest quality pediatric care. 

Patient Colin Boyce will be featured during this year’s radiothon. Learn about his story below.   

When: Media are welcome to see the radiothon in action by visiting the Children’s Center on Thursday, Feb. 26, between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Interview opportunities are also available with the leaders of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Who: Brenda Banwell, M.D., Pediatrician-in-Chief and Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and David Hackam, M.D., Ph.D., Surgeon-in-Chief and Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Children's Center 

Where: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center — The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center Building, 1800 Orleans St., Baltimore  

RSVP: To visit the radiothon or schedule an interview with Colin’s family or physicians, please contact Paige Acevedo, communications specialist, at 301-938-8909 or [email protected], or Kim Polyniak, communications manager, at 443-510-5807 or [email protected], by Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 3 p.m.  

Colin’s Story: Shortly after he was born, Colin Boyce from Silver Spring, Maryland, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). His parents, Matt and Elise, turned to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for his care, but they never imagined that this would be just the beginning of a very long and complex health journey for their young son. 

When he was 1 year old, Colin began having trouble walking and eating. Matt and Elise thought it was related to the CF, so they took Colin to see his pediatric pulmonologist Peter Mogayzel, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. After examining Colin, Mogayzel told Matt and Elise that their son’s symptoms were not CF-related and recommended they take him to the Children’s Center’s pediatric emergency department right away. 

This is when doctors found a tumor compressing Colin’s spinal cord that needed to be surgically removed immediately. After the tumor was biopsied, pediatric oncologist Brian Ladle M.D., Ph.D., diagnosed Colin with an aggressive form of malignant cancer that resulted in Colin having chemotherapy and radiation therapy between August 2023 and May 2024.  

“During those months, we probably spent more time on the oncology floor at the Children’s Center than we did at home with family,” said Matt.  

In June 2025, when Colin was 3 years old, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndromes (AML/MDS), which are blood cancers that begin in bone marrow and can occur from previous cancer treatments. Kenneth Cooke, M.D., director of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program in the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, performed a bone marrow transplant on Colin.   

“It was good being at the Children’s Center for that because it is home to some of the pioneers in stem cell transplants. We were able to go from the diagnosis to the transplant rather quickly,” said Elise.   

Now, several months later, Colin recently celebrated his 4th birthday with a family party complete with decorations in his favorite color: yellow. The dinosaur and mini golf-loving-child continues to demonstrate unimaginable strength and resilience through the ongoing challenges of his complex conditions.  

 The Boyce family, as well as their doctors, are available for interviews before or during the radiothon.