Nurse for Native health corporation wins big on 'The Price is Right'

Thursday, February 1, 2018  

An employee of a Native health corporation in Alaska won $63,000 in prizes on The Price is Right but has hit a snag getting them back home.

Joni Beckham, a nurse for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, told KYUK that the popular television game show will deliver her winnings, so long as she pays for the shipping. That's a high cost to bear, especially since the cache include a washer, dryer and a refrigerator.

But that's not the only hurdle. According to KYUK, the show will only get Beckham's prizes to Anchorage -- she lives in Bethel, a city some 400 miles away that's only accessible via air and river.

Beckham also won two cars but wouldn't have to pay shipping on those, KYUK reported. But it's not clear whether the show would provide them in Anchorage, Bethel or somewhere else.

Beckham appeared on the episode that aired on Monday. She paid a nod to the Native traditions of her region by wearing a kuspuk on the show. She also gave a shout-out to her fellow employees at the corporation.

Yukon-Kuskokwim administers health services to 58 Native villages in southwest Alaska. Clinics are spread throughout the region, many in rural areas that are difficult to reach.

The corporation is headquartered in Bethel, where a hospital offers services that can't always be provided in the villages. A law enacted by Congress in 2015 paves the way for a $250 million renovation and expansion of the facility.

Read More on the Story:
Winning Big On TV Game Show Carries Big Price Tag For Bethel Resident (KYUK January 31, 2018)