'Radio Lollipop' Airs for Kids at Texas Children's Hospital

HOUSTON - It has the look, the feel and the sounds of a top pop station. But this station can't be found on your radio dial. The home of this broadcast is Texas Children's Hospital.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, "Radio Lollipop" gives children, staff and volunteers an escape.

Patients like Mary Bowman, who's known to listeners as "Marvelous Mary" tune in and make requests.

"I think it's the most awesomest radio station ever," says the twelve year old. Mary has Cystic Fibrosis.

She says hearing her favorite tunes in her room has totally changed her stay.

"It's paradise here. I tell you, it's paradise. It's like heaven. If they didn't have "Radio Lollipop", I'd be bored to death."

Mary's mom, Anna Davis, wipes away tears when she talks about the station.

"It makes me happy. It makes you forget about everything else. It's good."

"We have so many parents that say 'our kid has noth smiled since we've been here. And now they're laughing and they're singing and they're dancing. And it just takes a load off of them," says Myrna Fisch, Coordinator of "Radio Lollipop" at Texas Children's Hospital.

It's the volunteers who make "Radio Lollipop" rock. The man listeners know as DJ "Cowboy Kelly" is Kelly Williams, an optician. He's been a volunteer here for seven years.

"Doctors and nurses aren't allowed up here. So they get away from all that mess and they can come up here. And they got a crazy nut like me just putting on a show that they can be a part of," he says.

"No matter how stressful your week was or how difficult a day you're having, when you're done here you're just so happy and you feel so blessed," says volunteer Tiffany Sammis.

While the show is on the air, voluteers take crafts to patients in their rooms. But no night at "Radio Lollipop" is complete without a good old fashion line dance.

Children usually confined to their rooms let loose and transform hospital hallways into moments of pure joy. It's the power of music giving these sick children a chance to just be kids.