Change Crusaders, a program that's part of the ramp up for Radiothon, has been sucessful again this year. Change Crusaders are volunteers who help raise money for SickKids by collecting change, talking to friends and family as well as running fundraisers in their community. This year we've had an amazing group of Change Cursaders who've been blasting through their fundraising goals. Throughout the day, we'll be telling the story of some of these heroes.

Our first story is Change Crusader Katie Armstrong:

Katie Armstrong has been a SickKids patient for three years. In 2006 and after lots of tests and procedures she was diagnosed with a rare life threatening heart condition, ARVD/C or arrythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. Kaite’s father created a slide show telling her story. You can see it here.

2009 is Katie's second year as a change crusader. Last year she raised $7,400 for Sick Kids with her most exciting contributions coming from an appearance on Breakfast Television with Kevin Frankish.

This year Katie, a naturally shy girl, has gone far and wide to collect change. From calling and emailing  family, friends, players and parents from hockey, soccer & daycare, getting her parents to take her Change Crusaders can into work, speaking at her hockey banquet about SickKids and Change Crusaders, speaking at her school, selling popcorn at recess and spoke to 20,000 fans at a Toronto FC game.

About two-thirds of the over $4,000 Katie has raised is in change, keeping Katie and her family on their toes rolling coins.

Now 10, Katie is thankful that SickKids helped her return to her favourite sports, hockey, soccer and karate. While she will be a patient at SickKids for many years to come, she wants to do her part to help researchers find a way to make her and kids like her better. Everyday SickKids finds new ways to help children who just want to be a regular kid again.

You can support Katie and all the other change crusaders at www.changecrusaders.com.