Of all the hardships of dealing with a childhood cancer diagnosis, some of the most challenging are also the most mundane: like the cost of groceries. For many families, the expense of caring for a child, traveling for treatment and scaling back work hours can quickly translate into food insecurity. The problem is this year’s focus of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, which found that more than a third of Jay Fund families in Jacksonville are food insecure, far higher than the national average for pediatric oncology families. The Super Bowl-winning coach and his daughter discuss the foundation’s 31st year of helping families coping with childhood cancers.
Guests:
- Coach Tom Coughlin, Jay Fund Foundation president.
- Keli Coughlin, Jay Fund Foundation CEO.
- Sydney and Aundrey Jackson Jr., parents of 6-year-old cancer patient Saige.
Then, grants and new gear are helping first responders in St. Augustine. As the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation celebrates 20 years of financing firefighters, we talk to the chief of both the foundation and the St. Augustine Fire Department about the role the support plays. Created in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to provide food and supplies to depleted first responders, the foundation has expanded to include all 50 states and Canada, and has spent $100 million on essential gear to firefighters, including ATVs and extrication tools. We discuss how the donations affect the First Coast.
Guests:
- Carlos Aviles, fire chief for the city of St. Augustine Fire Department.
- Robin Peters, executive director of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
And, we get a September check-in with our resident spaceman at a time of peak Saturn viewing. The ringed planet was at opposition Sept. 21, placing Earth between Saturn and the Sun — the closest and brightest it will be all year. In the night sky, Saturn will be visible to the naked eye throughout the month, and its rings can be seen with a small telescope. We talk all things Saturnine, including the 13-year Cassini mission to explore the planet’s atmosphere and its iconic rings. We also get a look at what pop-ups MOSH has planned during its interstitial era, before the new museum opens in 2026.
Guest:
- Eddie Whisler, planetarium director at the Museum of Science & History.