$65,000 was raised Friday thanks to the South and Central Health Foundation Radiothon on 620 VOCM in Grand Falls-Windsor.

The money will be used for the purchase of specialized medical equipment to treat babies born in distress at the regional hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor.

The equipment includes an upgraded resuscitation unit, equipment to treat newborns with jaundice, a medication infusion pump, a blanket warmer and Nara bassinets to allow babies to get closer to their moms.

Some 500 babies are born in the Central Health region each year.

Listeners pledged $35,000 which was matched by $30,000 from the provincial government—which is supplying a total of $60,000 to the South and Central Health Foundation, split between two separate funding projects.