Sports radio host Cory Cove didn’t plan on becoming a major fundraiser for a disease he knew nothing about. But fortunately for the Minnesota Lupus Foundation and its growing constituency, that’s exactly what happened, beginning about a decade ago, to the 35-year-old KFAN personality.
Back in his bachelor days, a female friend had repeatedly canceled planned get-togethers with Cove without explaining why. He eventually learned the reason: She was suffering the effects of lupus, a chronic disease that attacks the immune system. “She was having a rough summer and didn’t want to tell anybody,” recalls Cove, now a Plymouth resident.
Cove knew little about the disease, which directly affects about one in 200 people nationwide. There’s no cure for lupus, which has been called “the cruel mystery” because its indicators are somewhat hidden from view.
Lupus has a range of symptoms, meaning it can mimic a number of other health conditions, and strikes without warning. About 90 percent of its sufferers are women. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to organ complications. Advocates consider lupus an underfunded disease, relative to its scope and devastation. But Cove and many others are hoping to help bring about a cure.
Cove’s initial frustration at being unable to help his friend turned into the realization that he could use his radio platform—at the time he was co-hosting the Sludge and Lake radio show (his nickname when he started at KFAN was “Sludge”)—to do something positive. It was the genesis of a unique, and uniquely successful, event. His call to the Minnesota Lupus Foundation’s then-president, Bill Jenison, led to Cove hosting the putting contest at the 2007 Lupus Golf Classic, then to a better and (eventually) bigger idea: hosting a 24-hour radiothon to raise money for Lupus research, and also raise public awareness.
The first KFAN Sludgeathon in 2008 raised just $1,778, a disappointment for Cove, although Lupus Foundation officials appreciated the new-found exposure. That first year, “We did everything wrong; we had no idea how to do a fundraiser,” Cove says. “But every year we’ve learned lessons and rectified mistakes, and it’s kept growing.”
And, yes, Cove really does stay on the air for 24 hours without any sleep breaks; other station personalities and friends help him throughout the typically noon to noon time slots by sitting in guest chairs.
His efforts have paid off. The 24-hour Sludgeathon has become a popular annual event for KFAN, and the amount raised has taken a major leap forward in the past three years—$51,237 in 2013, $51,500 in 2014 and $64,334 in 2015. In the process, Cove has become the Minnesota foundation’s largest third party fundraiser.
Last year, Sludgeathon started on a Friday, which made a difference in the fundraising totals since listenership is typically high during an afternoon; this year, the event will kick off at 6 p.m. “It feels really good to have that much of an impact,” says Cove.
Cove, his wife Angie and their two daughters (10-year-old Bailey and 2-year-old Harper) were drawn to Plymouth by the high-quality school system and parks. They’re having a new home built in the Terra Vista neighborhood.
Cove also helps promote the annual fall Lupus Walk for Hope & 5K Run events, which take place in the Twin Cities (one at French Regional Park), Rochester and Duluth. He creates public service announcements to promote the events that air on KFAN and other affiliate stations, and he emcees each event.
Lupus Foundation president Tharan Leopold is one of many who appreciate Cove’s efforts. “Cory has been one of our best advocates; he’s really helped our fundraising efforts through the years,” Leopold says.
The ultimate beneficiaries of Cove’s efforts (and the contributions of his listeners) are people like 14-year-old Carrie Peterson of Plymouth. In early 2013, the current eighth-grader at Central Middle School was only 11 when she was diagnosed with lupus. Carrie suffered severe swelling, and tests showed the disease was attacking her kidneys. It was a difficult period for Carrie. “I was super-tired and didn’t move much,” she says. Her father, Tom Peterson, says that her doctor thought at first the problems might be due to complications from strep throat. “Lupus is not on a lot of primary care doctors’ radars,” he says.
Eventually Tom and his wife, Sarah, were referred to University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital kidney specialist Blanche Chavers, M.D., who made the correct diagnosis. Carrie spent a week at University of Minnesota Hospitals undergoing chemotherapy, which was successful in stabilizing her immune system.
Other medications helped restore her kidney function, and Carrie was able to return to school after a three-week absence. She also regained enough energy to resume competitive dancing, which she does three times a week at Summit Dance Shoppe in Plymouth. She hopes to try out for the dance team at Wayzata High School next season.
Carrie’s doctors “are very impressed with her current condition. She has no restrictions, except for a low-sodium diet,” says Tom Peterson, a managing director at Element Financial Corp. in Eden Prairie. “The good news is that, now that we know what it is, we can go with the right course of treatment. We have great doctors and a great plan, and we’re very comfortable with it.”
Carrie and her parents are also proud of her lupus fundraising efforts. By participating in Lupus Walk for Hope events, she and her friends and family raised more than $7,000 in 2014 and $8,000 in 2015.
Leopold says that, while lupus remains a challenging disease, educational efforts by the foundation and similar organizations have helped build awareness among both the public and health care providers. “More practitioners are aware of the symptoms of lupus than in the past,” Leopold says. “And there’s more public awareness with a number of celebrities disclosing their disease, like singer Selena Gomez and local artist and former TV personality Robyne Robinson.”
Diane Zimmerman of Maple Grove is no celebrity, but she has had plenty of experience living with lupus. In 1989, she was a very active 32-year-old restaurant manager and softball player (pitching for three teams), when she began experiencing joint pain and inflammation. At first she thought the pain and swelling were caused by physical activity until a rheumatologist made the correct diagnosis after extensive blood analysis.
With the help of anti-inflammatory and pain medications, Zimmerman has been able to live a normal life. Learning to regulate her physical activity and “listen to my body,” has been key, she says. If she overdoes physical activity, the disease can “flare,” causing more joint symptoms, and fatigue is sometimes a problem.
What advice would she have for 14-year-old Carrie Peterson? “I'd tell her to have a great support system (including the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota, family and friends) and to really listen to how her body is feeling. And be honest. Some of us have a hard time telling about every little ache and pain, but when you have a chronic illness, you have to share some of that.”
Diane Zimmerman, Carrie Peterson and Cory Cove are different in many ways, but they are united in the battle to defeat a sometimes baffling disease that is gradually becoming more known and better understood.
Want to Learn More?
Every year, the Minnesota Lupus Foundation holds public events to help raise funds for lupus research and education. The 2016 Lupus Foundation fundraising events include:
- Coming this spring: Annual Sludgeathon 24-hour fundraising broadcast on KFAN-FM
- May 5: Lupus Food, Wine and Beer Classic; 6–9 p.m. at The Great Hall, St. Paul; call 952.746.5151
- September 17: Lupus Walk for Hope and 5K Run; 9 a.m. Clifton E. French Regional Park
- September 24 and October 15: Walk/runs will also be held in Rochester on September 24 and in Duluth on October 15
Sludgeathon: By the Numbers
The amount raised by the Sludgeathon, year by year:
year total
2008 $1,778
2009 $7,000
2010 $8,500
2011 $15,500
2012 $19,249
2013 $51,237
2014 $51,500
2015 $64,334
Event Total: $219,098
