In the time leading up to QTHON, I wasn't sure what to expect. A lot of people that I know go to huge universities, where they have dance marathons that raise millions of dollars and where people have to raise thousands just to be able to dance at the event. Here at Quinnipiac, we're a smaller community, so I knew that the situation would likely be a bit different than the experience some of my friends had prior to mine. However, I went into the event excited and looking forward to the day ahead! I had heard that QTHON was always really fun, and I had been raising money for about two months so I couldn't wait to participate in the event.
Something that I always mention when explaining Quinnipiac University to anybody, is that it's really a true community here. There is no sense of division or separation between students of any age or in regards to who's in what student organization. We're a supportive community that strives to be as kind and spirited as possible, and that's exactly the kind of energy that was felt all throughout QTHON on March 25, 2017. Everybody in the gym was pumped up and ready to dance for as long as they could, and the event was nothing short of incredible!
Walking around the gym, there was a lot to see. People were wearing shirts that proudly said the name of the team they were a part of, miracle children walked around with their buddies and played games with the dancers. Students made bracelets for the kids and helped them color and build block towers, and the "Morale Dance" was done by everyone hourly, keeping the spirits high. By around 8:00 p.m., there was a noticeable decrease in the number of people in the gym. And while you may think that this was a bad sign, it only motivated the students there to get more excited and re-build the positive energy. Disney hour hit and everyone broke out their Mickey and Minnie ears, and everybody danced to the best songs of the day.
I was fortunate enough to spend the last four hours of the event hanging out with two of the miracle children. I played games with them and spoke to them about what they like to do and about how much they love QTHON. We didn't talk about the hospital, we didn't talk about the scars they bear from surgeries they've had, the things they have to wear under their shirts or the medications they take. We danced and took pictures and I cheered them on as they had lightsaber fights, and it was amazing.
What us students who participated in QTHON did was incredible. We raised over $218,000 for Connecticut Children's Medical Center and that's something to be more than proud of. Our actions will change the lives of children, and make a difference in so many ways. However, I believe that our biggest accomplishment is not the one we can measure with numbers. Because yesterday, we danced and played with kids who's lives aren't just like those of most kids their age. And we gave them a way to forget about that for a little while and reminded them that we're here to fight for them in any way we can. FTK always.
