PCL has been involved with Big Dig for Kids since 2016, and in the span of seven years, the event has raised nearly $2.8 million for pediatric cancer research, with over $848,000 contributed this year alone. The event gives Phoenix Children’s patients the opportunity to explore, interact, and operate heavy machinery. This year, PCL sponsored a booth featuring several activities for children, including toy excavators, a water table, jumbo-sized foam cinder blocks, and remote-control construction toys. Additionally, PCL’s mascot, Bidwell the Beaver was present to take photos with the kids and their families.
“Participating in the Big Dig for Kids event over the last seven years has been truly fulfilling,” said Mike McKinney, Senior Vice President of PCL’s civil infrastructure division and Phoenix Big Dig for Kids Board Member and Event Co-Chair. “It's contagious to watch these children — despite their daily health challenges — brighten up as they engage in the world of construction.”
Funds from the event go directly toward constructing the Phoenix Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. The center is set to launch meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy, a targeted treatment for neuroblastoma — a type of cancer representing 6 percent of childhood cancers in the United States. Arizona currently lacks such a facility, underscoring the importance of the Big Dig for Kids events.
