Fundraising fun

With many special events around the country suspended over the past year due to COVID-19, students across Middle Tennessee did not let that stop them from helping patients at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Recently, students from 12 colleges and high schools across the area teamed up to host one collective virtual dance marathon event, called “Marathon of Marathons.”

Historically, participating schools have hosted in-person dance marathon events to raise funds and awareness for Children’s Hospital. As the culmination of a year of fundraising, the event typically includes a special dance, games and inspirational stories from patient families and hospital leadership.

During the 13-hour Marathon of Marathons, each school had one hour to highlight their individual dance marathon program.

The event concluded with the fundraising total reveal — more than $300,000. Collectively, dance marathons have raised more than $3 million for Children’s Hospital over the years to fund vital programs at the hospital from discovery research grants, to fellowships in the neonatal intensive care unit to cancer research and capital projects.