FOR THE KIDS
Hello. My name is
ELLIE.
I like to run. I like to dig in the dirt.
I like to play outside. I love tutus. ... and twirling.
2 years ago, Ellie switched her tutu for a hospital robe. She was diagnosed with a very serious, life-threatening disease.
acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
+While other kids explored outside, Ellie spent months in and out of the hospital. Her bone marrow couldn’t produce the white blood cells necessary to fight off infections. Also facing tumor lysis syndrome, which caused her kidneys to fail, Ellie has undergone kidney dialysis and she continues to receive chemotherapy. No stranger to her hospital’s halls, Ellie knows all too well the challenges sick kids face. Her bright personality is nonetheless hard to resist, even for celebrities like Elmo and Super Grover, with whom she has appeared on the news. The spotlight just seems fitting for this camera-loving life force.
She is why we
DANCE.
“Miracles happen to those who believe in them.” —Bernard Berenson
Once upon a
TIME...
in 1971, Penn State University’s IFC & Panhellenic associations needed rebuild their image.
and so began
dance competitions
More than $2,000 was raised that year. A few events later, the “dance competitions” turned into yearly 48-hour marathon of fun activities. Eventually changing the name to ‘THON, word spread throughout the US, & other universities took on the idea.
CREATION MYTHof Keith’s KUDM experience
On October 22, 2006 my husband and I welcomed our first little miracle into this world. Keith William was born on time and under the presumption that he was completely healthy; with the exception of a minor heart murmur. However, at two months old Keith was diagnosed with a Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) that would require open heart surgery to be fixed. It’s a pretty regular procedure that is performed in children with congenital heart defects such as our son’s. But Keith’s journey has been anything but normal. His first open heart was on April 4th, 2007. He pulled through it very well, and the asvd was fixed. However,
he went into partial heart block due to some nerve damage caused by the surgery, and required the implantation of a pacemaker before he was able to leave the PICU. We were also told that during his first surgery the surgeon had discovered that his mitral valve would at some point need to be replaced. After months in the hospital, I had overheard some people talking about a “Dance Marathon.” Intrigued, I asked more about the event. I found out that
“KEITH’S FIRST MARATHON WAS UNREAL.”
Keith would be the perfect candidate to participate in The University of Kansas’ Dance Marathon. I inquired more about it through the hospital. They set me up with KU’s next marathon to speak on behalf of Keith and what his story is. Keith’s first marathon was unreal. He was “adopted” by one of the college students that was putting on the event. It made him feel loved and nonetheless “cool” because it was like he had a big brother. The different events each hour helped Keith to forget about his worries for the time-being. We couldn’t stay the whole time, but the time we did, will never be forgotten by Keith, my husband, or I.
Keith has received continuous care from a wonderful doctor, Anitha Parthiban, and her awesome team of amazing KU med nurses and techs! After Keith’s surgeries and even before Keith had to have echocardiograms to monitor his heart condition. Dr. Parthiban has always, and continues to, go out of her way to make him and us as parents comfortable with these treatments and tests. When it was necessary, since he was so young, he was sedated several times in the PICU at KU Medical Center Pediatrics so that an echocardiogram could be done and produce an accurate reading. The care that the staff took to ensure Keith’s safety and comfort still amazes me. Now he is able to have tests done without the sedation but the care of his doctor and her staff is still amazing. They work very well with Keith and have amazing patience and
understanding! The nurses that work with Dr. Parthiban have become like family. They have always been very attentive to our son, and very patient with our questions addressing every concern that we have with the greatest attention and care. Making sure that we fully understand what’s going on with him, and our next steps in regards to his care. I can’t say enough about this wonderful team, and what they have provided for our son. Not only are they amazing at the tests they administer but they are also amazing at caring for him not as a medical condition but as a little boy. Keith absolutely loves his doctor and I truly feel that if were not for her and her team at KU med that his treatment would not be as successful. Keith is now four and a very active little boy. Although it’s sometimes very challenging to answer his questions about why he has to do “this or that”, it’s very rewarding to see that even through health problems such as this he is thriving. We are very blessed to have him and each smile reminds us of that. FTK.
WHAT ARE
WE?
KU Dance Marathon is Kansas’ fastest growing student organization on campus. Started in 2008, KUDM donates 100% profits in support of the Lawrence and Kansas City areas through the Children’s Miracle Network.
But what exactly is
?
KU Dance Marathon?
12 Hour event
Singing Bee
Strong Man
Concert
Quittich
Special Appearances
PURPOSE: For participants to stand on their feet for the duration of the evening to show support for those who are the focus of the charity.
2012 KU Dance Marathon Event Pictures
Together we stand, for the kids that can’t.
How does KUDM
ZAG?
BOLD, LIFE-GIVING MOTIVATION. Helping ill children forget about their worries and letting them play for awhile, lets us know we give them hope, when there is little.
Whad ya
SAY?
Expression Love
Rhythm
Play
Music
Music
Energy Spirited
Our active brand connects to peoples’
souls.
Like the feeling of the rhythm of music
PUMPING through our BODIES.
KUDM
GOODiES! To accommodate over 500 participants, everyone gets a t-shirt and other “swag.”
KUDM
COLLATERAL • T-Shirts • Small button pins • Letterhead • Business Card • Fundraising Bracelet Packaging • Miscellaneous post cards for info on event • Promotional Poster • Website • iPad Application for donations, etc.
So why should you
DANCE? For hope.
To celebrate life.
To leave KU a better place.
and for all the kids that lost their fight.