To whom this may concern,

I started this off in a way to include all people who work in healthcare, from EMT's, to nurses and doctors, to those conducting the coronavirus exams. I wanted to make sure everyone got the thank you they truly deserved.

Hi, my name is Ilana Stein. I do Dance Marathon at Florida State University. Although not all of you work at the pediatric hospital that benefits from our funds, that organization has opened my eyes to see all that doctors do for patients. The truest superheroes in this world are those that can provide help, comfort, and most importantly love to others unconditionally without being prompted. All the time, but especially now, doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and everyone else with health related jobs can potentially be the difference between life and death. Although not every patient is gonna make it, people like you are potentially the last humans on earth that they see, or hear, so your positive interactions mean the world to everyone that steps foot in (and hopefully later, out) of the hospital, doctors office, or medical facility. We know you hope for 100% success, and we all know you do everything in your power to provide the best care and quality of life for your patients that need it the most. It is truly incredible that at a time like this, you are excited, or at the very least willing, to step into work knowing it is a battlefield, in a sense. You are going to work knowing it may kill you, and that is the most noble thing I have ever seen. You go to work knowing you may be putting yourself at risk. You go to work knowing you can't go home and hug your family, or maybe even see them at all. You all are incredible inspirations to people worldwide, not only because of all that you do, but the fact that you do it happily with a smile on your face. People in your profession are often overworked, and in some positions underpaid, but please remember in the hardships, why you chose to work in healthcare. In Dance Marathon, we call it our 'why,' basically meaning the reason you continue to fight everyday. Rediscover your why. Please continue to care for those that need it the most, but don't forget to take care of yourselves. You mean just as much to this world as every patient who walks through the doors of your hospital. Know you are loved, appreciated, and acknowledged every single day. A very large quantity of the world is going crazy in self-quarantine, or yelling at those that aren't, in attempts to flatten this curve so that your job, and the death toll, becomes a little easier to bare. In all, this was a very long way to acknowledge your hard work and say thank you on behalf of the whole world.

Stay safe, practice good hygiene, and remember that love and kindness conquers all.

Sincerely and with love,

Ilana

A daughter, a sister, student, a Delta Zeta, A Dance Marathon enthusiast, a future educator, a writer, a cheerleading coach, and a human.