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Dance Marathon Has Personal Connection for UGA Student

by Tim Anderson
02/20/2007

Last Saturday, over one thousand University of Georgia students participated in Dance Marathon, a 24-hour philanthropy that celebrates a year's worth of fundraising for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. For most participants, the event is a worthwhile and fun way to spend their time, but for UGA sophomore Abby Howe, the significance of the event is a little more special.

Howe's younger sister, Nancy, is one of UGA Dance Marathon's "Miracle Children." These Miracle Children are children and teenagers from throughout the Southeast who have endured serious injuries or surgeries but have continued to live healthy and productive lives because of the care that they received from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Nancy, who is now 14, was born prematurely at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. When doctors discovered a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, she was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Egelston campus. There, she was able to be treated with a rare lifesaving machine called an ECMO, which Children's Healthcare had received just months before.

Short for Extracorpreal Membrane Oxygenation, or ECMOs, have been used throughout the country in treating children and infants with cardiorespiratory failure. The machines use an artificial lung, located outside of the body, which puts oxygen into the blood and then carries this blood to the body tissues. Because of this machine, Nancy was able to survive and live a happy, healthy life.

Each year, Nancy and her family make the treks to Athens to take part of Dance Marathon. "It's neat to be a part of an organization that benefits a hospital that essentially saved my sister's life," said Abby Howe, who is in her second year of participation with Dance Marathon.

The 24-hour period of Dance Marathon symbolizes a day of life for these children whose lives have been saved. Participants raise money throughout the year and the total amount is raised at the end of the Marathon each February. Since it's inception in 1996, Dance Marathon has raised over $1.8 million, with $302,000 coming in 2007 alone.

During the Marathon, participants are kept entertained with games, live music, and even a hypnotist. Each year, participants leave the Marathon exhausted from a lack a sleep, but energized and encouraged by the amount of money that is donated to Children's Healthcare and also, by stories like Nancy Howe's.