Brittany Anderson doesn’t remember being born prematurely. As a senior sociology and Kappa Delta sorority member, Anderson fits in like any normal college student.
On Feb. 3, 1989 though, Anderson was born seven weeks earlier than the doctors ever expected.
“I guess they don’t really know what happened,” Anderson said. “I was born Feb. 3, and I don’t think I went home until mid-April.”
What happened to Anderson is a relatively common medical occurrence known as preterm birth. Occurring in 12 percent of all deliveries in the U.S., preterm birth is a pregnancy that occurs prior to 37 weeks in the womb. Due to the complications of a preterm birth, many of the infants, like Anderson, are required to stay at the hospital for an extended amount of time lasting much longer than a normal birth.
With such high health costs, a preterm birth can cost a family thousands of dollars in medical bills. The Children’s Miracle Network was created in 1987 to help improve health care for millions of young Americans. In partnership with CMN, this year’s Dance Marathon will donate every cent raised to Sacred Heart’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for infants.
Not commonly known, the Dance Marathon is the largest philanthropic event on campus. Last year’s marathon included 550 participants and raised $35,000 that went directly to the Children’s Miracle Network. Participants who register are encouraged to raise as much money as possible before the event by contacting family members and friends.
Taking place this Saturday in the EMU Ballroom from noon to midnight, the Dance Marathon is an event that challenges students while raising money and awareness for its cause.
“We’re standing for the families,” said Megan Jones, Dance Marathon spokesperson. “Basically for all the struggles they’ve gone through in their lives, for their kids we’re standing for, for 12 hours.”
Although the event raises a large amount of money, many students who participate in the event for the first time aren’t aware of why the event exists.
“Before I went to the Dance Marathon, I didn’t really know what it was about,” said Anderson, who realized that the Dance Marathon benefited babies born prematurely like her. “I was really inspired to do it and get really involved with it.”
After attending, Anderson, like most students who participate, got behind the cause and fully supported the importance of being able to dance for 12 hours.
This is due in part to the event tangibly introducing the people involved in the Dance Marathon with people who have been affected by preterm births. Each year, 12 families are invited to the event to help inspire and encourage the dancers.
“At the event we have 12 families come, and every hour we have them tell their stories on stage,” Jones said.
The marathon participants show their encouragement as well. Wearing a specific wristband, each participant is separated into a group that supports a specific child who attends the event. Throughout the event, each group can come and visit the child they are supporting. Also, earlier in the week, each group takes part in creating a banner with their child’s name on it with their favorite foods, activities and sports.
The event overall is something that aims to be an enjoyable time for everyone involved while also trying to expand a good cause.
Jones, along with everyone else involved in planning the event, has worked hard to make sure the event itself will be an enjoyable time, while also seeking to get as many participants that can possibly fit in the EMU Ballroom.
The goal for this year’s committee is to register 600 participants and raise roughly $50,000.
Whether the goal is attained or not, the event will aim most importantly to simply support children born prematurely. This concept is something that any student can dance to, especially Anderson.
“It’s like one of my favorite days of the year,” Anderson said.
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Campus dance marathon to benefit children’s hospitals
Daily Emerald
January 18, 2011
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