Dance Marathon on the High School level is where it all begins! Becoming part of the nation’s most exciting fundraising tradition starting in high school will help build invaluable skills and experiences for the future, all while helping one of the greatest causes around.
A warm welcome to our friends and partners FCCLA and
Key Club International , two amazing high school leadership organizations who have signed on to join us support the Kids!
The national Children's Miracle Network Hospitals office can help you with all of the details of planning this amazing event, but to get started, it might help to have a few things in place before you contact us.
Have a group of dedicated people (between 5-15) who are as excited and passionate about the cause as you. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals can help you stir up interest at school if needed, but it helps to work with existing leadership or service clubs or to round up a group of like-minded friends.
Ask a teacher or school staff member to serve as an advisor to your group. This person can help guide your planning and help with leadership development. Anyone who sees his/her role as developing students for college and career success will quickly see that Dance Marathon is an invaluable experience and should be just as excited as you to bring it to your school. It only takes a little bit of their time but will provide many rewards.
We can put you in touch with your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and and any nearby Dance Marathon programs. We will also give you access to our resource site with all the materials you’ll need to get started. Simply send us an e-mail sharing your interest in Dance Marathon and be sure to include your high school’s name and city. Email: highschools@dancemarathon.com for more information.
When Ayla was 3 years old, a minor accident on the playground resulted in severe dark bruises on her legs. When her worried parents took her to the doctor, the test results turned their world upside down.
Ayla was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a disease that affects the body’s ability to clot blood and stop bleeding. The disease made Ayla’s body unable to control even the smallest cut or bruise—a frightening scenario for an active toddler. Although 90 percent of childhood ITP cases clear up within a year, Ayla’s did not. Her ITP is chronic, necessitating numerous blood transfusions, frequent hospital visits and even a splenectomy.
A few months after her diagnosis, Ayla’s family moved to Denver, Colo., so she could receive ongoing care at The Children’s Hospital. “At our first appointment, we knew we had found the right place,” said Ayla’s father, Jay.
Now 10, Ayla is mature, empathetic and patient with the challenges of her disease. She plays the piano and violin, and loves to swim and dance.