RALEIGH, N.C. — For children who end up in critical care, WakeMed only has one pediatric transport unit and one size does not necessarily fit all in the pediatric world.

Officials said the unit's needs vary, depending on the size and the age of the child.

"We have to have specific equipment because of safety. We're still in a motor vehicle," said staff nurse Jacci Patterson.

Patterson is part of one of two specially trained teams that share the unit -- transporting critically ill children from one hospital to another. With one truck between them, they are stretched thin, so they are hoping a lot of people will read the Raleigh News & Observer Tuesday morning as part of the

Kids Day

fund-raiser.

"The newspaper will cost you a dollar and 75 cents of that dollar goes directly to the purchase of the new vehicle this year," said Kathleen Privette, of WakeMed.

A fully-equipped truck costs about $250,000. Officials said a second truck will keep more trained personnel on the road.

In years past, the fund-raiser paid for equipment in the neonatal intensive care unit and for equipment in the children's emergency department.