Written By: Hope Hathcock
The world is constantly changing around us. We are all looking for something to hold onto. A community to comfort us. A cause to keep us looking forward.
Every individual within Dance Marathon at the University of Florida has his or her own story, yet we have all found hope in one mission. Our daily lives may look different, but our purpose remains the same.
We are relentless, and our fight does not end until no child wears a hospital band.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact has given us only a glimpse into the constant fear and uncertainty our Miracle Children and Families live in every day. The future is hazy, but our hope for a healthier and happier tomorrow is as clear as day.
For 26 years, students at UF have united time and time again to change the lives of the families at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. Every second, every minute, and every day counts. We have seen what can be accomplished in a matter of months.
Dance Marathon at UF continues to redefine the impossible. We continue to break boundaries and create new ones. We continue to push our own limits. But there is still so much work to be done.
Most of us only have four years at this university. However, for the Miracle Children at Shands, their time is not promised. They only have the present. They only have now.
It is our time now to fight harder than ever before. To spread the word even farther about who we are and what we do. To make countless miracles in the face of adversity. To create a brighter future for the kids who need it most.
These are our teams, this is our organization, and this is our year. Nothing can take that away because it is OUR. TIME. NOW.