Our History
40 Years of dedication to kids and their families
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than 7 billion dollars, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.
Our Founders
In 1977 Mick Shannon was hired as the Executive Director of The Utah March of Dimes. The Utah Chapter was one of the best in the country.
One of the chapters’ premier events was a very successful local telethon. One of the most successful and nationally respected TV stations in the country, KSL TV, was the driving force.
After 3 years, working with two young, talented KSL producers, Al Henderson, and Mike Mischler, Mick became convinced the quality and production values were better than any of the National telethons of the time—better than the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and better than the Easter Seals Telethon.
Mick saw that grander vision of what this broadcast could become with very little additional investment; simply feed it to the March of Dimes chapters and TV stations all over the country. Mick met with Al and Mike seeking their thoughts and reactions. They were excited. Mick then met with two of the most respected broadcasters in the country Arch Madsen (President of Bonneville International) and Jay Lloyd (General Manager of Bonneville’s KSL TV). After all, it was their Telethon. They suggested the concept seemed practical and achievable, generously offering to donate satellite time and uplink.
Mick then decided to test the concept. He needed help and sought out Joe Lake, a March of Dimes volunteer and one of the most impressive and talented people he had ever met. Joe had an extensive background in the entertainment industry and had many connections with celebrities. Joe agreed to partner with Mick for the March of Dimes.
They were convinced the best celebrities to host the telethon were John Schneider and Marie Osmond. Both Starred in their own hit TV shows, Both enjoyed very successful recording careers. Their images and reputations had always been impeccable. They appeared on countless magazine covers, talk shows, and awards shows. Having John and Marie agree to lead the effort was a miracle.
Joe and Mick set out to recruit local March of Dimes chapters and TV stations to participate in this test. Ten chapters signed up, it was a very successful event.
They prepared a comprehensive proposal to present to the national March of Dimes leadership in New York. They were impressed with our work, however, they asked us to move to Los Angeles and produce a Hollywood-based telethon. Essentially everything they had built was rejected, and to say the least, it was a long flight home.
Unable to sleep that night, Mick got out of bed and went down to his kitchen table. Eight hours later, the kitchen floor covered with wadded up yellow legal pad paper, Mick knew he had it! The Children’s Miracle Network was conceived. The basic, simple, business model, and financial model seemed powerful. Mick called Joe and immediately drove over to his house. With no funding, and no prospect of ever getting paid, Joe embraced the NEW VISION, and they were ready to GO. No Joe, no Children’s Miracle Network!
Upon hearing of the rejection, and subsequent NEW VISION, Mike Gursey, John’s manager flew to Utah to hear it for himself. After that meeting John was so excited to spearhead this new effort that he resigned from the March of Dimes. No John, no Children’s Miracle Network!
Mick and Joe were so anxious to then get to Marie that they called her manager to assess her availability. She was in Provo, They were able to meet with Marie at the Studios, she too caught the NEW VISION, and agreed to lead the effort to build Children’s Miracle Network. No Marie, no Children’s Miracle Network!
Joe arranged a meeting with Bill Critchfield, then President of the Osmond Studios, a world class facility, and the family agreed to do the first Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, at the studios, which gave immediate credibility. They then added Merlin Olsen and Marilyn McCoo as co-hosts for this 21 hour telethon—the absolute dream team. Thus, the Children’s Miracle Network was born.
Mick, Joe, John and Marie dedicated their lives to traveling extensively recruiting hospitals, TV stations, and sponsors, always putting kids first! 37 years and $7,000,000,000 later they had made the world a much better place.
HERE IS WHAT THE 4 OF THEM AGREED ON
A NETWORK OF MEMBER CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS
A NETWORK OF TELEVISION STATIONS
FOUNDING PRINCIPLES
100% OF PROCEEDS WOULD STAY LOCAL TO BENEFIT LOCAL HOSPITALS AND KIDS
KIDS FIRST AND ALWAYS
MAINTAIN THE LOWEST COST RATIO POSSIBLE
DIGNITY AND CLASS …NEVER EXPLOITING SICK OR INJURED KIDS
Children’s Miracle Network Telethon 1983
These truly amazing people and donations made the MIRACLE HAPPEN. Without them, there would be no Children’s Miracle Network today.
Mick Shannon
Joseph G. Lake
John Schneider
Marie Osmond