Feb. 20, 2025
Sarah Walker, B.S.H.C.A., R.T.(R), took a trip to remember in 2024 as the grand prize winner of the ASRT Foundation Annual Drawing. Every year, ASRT members like Sarah buy tickets to score a trip, win cash prizes and advance the Foundation’s mission to support and empower medical imaging and radiation therapy students and professionals to positively affect patients.
Answering the Call
Sarah was at her job the day she received the call that she’d won. She works at an orthopedic clinic in Savannah, Tennessee, as an in-house radiographer and said she loves providing compassionate care for her patients. It’s her goal to treat every patient as if they are family.
“It warms my heart to hear my patients tell me how much they truly loved being heard and respected before, during and after their visit,” she said.
Two Tickets to Paradise
Sarah’s desire to support professionals and students compelled her to buy the winning ticket. Her grand prize was a five-night trip for two to any destination in the continental U.S., Alaska or Hawaii, covering up to $3,999 in expenses.
“I had never won anything of this magnitude before, so it was a complete shock,” she said.
In October 2024, Sarah and her husband used the prize to visit Key West, Florida. Their week-long agenda included eating great food, sightseeing, shopping, and fishing for tarpon, grouper and barracuda.
“Smathers Beach and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list,” she said.
Sarah encouraged her fellow technologists to purchase Annual Drawing tickets because she values how the Foundation helps individuals pursue degrees and gain new knowledge to reach their full potential.
“I know that if others in our ASRT community give to this great Foundation, there is no telling how many scholarships or grants could be awarded,” she said.
Giving Back
Retired technologist Joan Parsons, who served as ASRT interim CEO in 1997, secured not one but two winning tickets for $100 apiece. For members who aren’t sure how to get involved with ASRT, she believes that “being a participant in this fundraiser is a good way to give back.” Joan demonstrated that belief by donating her prize money back to the Foundation. “If we technologists don’t give back to our profession, who will?” she said.
A Worthy Cause
Annual Drawing proceeds allow the Foundation to continue to provide scholarships and grants that help members build skills and knowledge to provide that kind of excellent patient care. Members have a chance to win and support professional growth again this year, but there are a few changes to the drawing’s prize lineup: the second-place prize has increased to $600 and only one $200 third-place prize is being offered in 2025. ASRT affiliate societies can still win prizes for the most money raised per capita and most tickets sold.