The 41st CHEO Telethon will be held all week on CTV and Newstalk 580 CFRA

Preview: 41st CHEO Telethon The 41st annual CHEO Telethon is taking place on Saturday. CTV's Natalie van Rooy has more.

The 41^st CHEO Telethon kicked off on Monday, raising money and awareness about Ottawa's children's hospital.

This year's telethon will run Monday to Friday on CTV News Ottawa, CTV Morning Live and Newstalk 580 CFRA, with the grand finale on CTV Ottawa on Saturday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The new format will introduce viewers and listeners to the CHEO families, doctors, nurses and CHEO staff who make CHEO a special place.

"So instead of having it all concentrated on the weekend, we're going to expand the broadcast throughout the whole week," CHEO Foundation President and CEO Steve Read told CTV Morning Live on Monday.

"We're bringing the viewers into the hospital, as we always have. We'll let everybody see the great work that happens at CHEO, try to really show how important is it to have CHEO in our community and maybe, every more importantly, how community support and donations have really allowed that work to take place."

You can make a donation online through www.cheotelethon.com or by calling 613-730-CHEO (2436). Money raised during the CHEO Telethon will support research, life-saving treatment and state-of-the-art medical equipment at the children's hospital.

Read says the CHEO Telethon is important for the hospital.

"It is a tradition," Read said. "It's a chance for us to shine a spotlight on some of the work that takes place. All week long, we'll have an opportunity to hear from some of those patients and their families, and really understand how important it is to have CHEO in our community."

Tune in during the following times this week to CTV News Ottawa, CTV Morning Live and Newstalk 580 CFRA to learn more about CHEO:

Meet the CHEO Telethon kids

As part of the CHEO Telethon, CHEO is introducing us to six children and youth who have needed the children's hospital.

Last year's CHEO Telethon raised a record $12.3 million to support care and research at CHEO.