Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
gobrien@saintmarys.edu
(574) 284-4579
March 24, 2009 (Notre Dame, Ind.) – Saint Mary's College is getting ready for another successful Dance Marathon. The 12-hour student-led event takes place in Angela Athletic Center on Friday, April 3, beginning at 8 p.m. More than 300 students from Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College and the University of Notre Dame will dance the hours away as they raise money for Riley Hospital for Children’s General Benefit Fund. Anyone wanting to donate to the cause, please click here .
“Students pledge to stand on their feet for 12 hours in honor of the kids who are stuck in a hospital bed at Riley and who would give anything to dance and play for a night. We at Dance Marathon like to think that we dance because we can and we stand for those who can’t,” said Sarah Voss ‘09, the Saint Mary's College Dance Marathon president.
While the hospital is located in Indianapolis, countless children from the South Bend-area receive treatment there. Four-year-old Brenna Blosser of Bremen was one of them. When she was 13 months old, a viral infection led to blood clots. Doctors at Riley discovered a large clot blocking the left femoral artery, which supplies blood and oxygen to the left leg. She underwent an angioplasty and Thrombolysis to open the critical blood vessel and dissolve the clots. She still has a slight limp, but Brenna is doing great. Her mother Mindi Blosser believes Brenna would have died if she hadn’t gone to Riley. “We know that Brenna’s recovery is miraculous. We are so grateful that Riley is here not only for us, but for every desperate family in need of top-ranked medical care,” said Blosser, who will attend Dance Marathon with Brenna.
Saint Mary’s is among the approximately 100 colleges and universities that hold Dance Marathons to benefit Children's Miracle Network hospitals. Students started Dance Marathon at the College in 2006. The Saint Mary’s program is nationally recognized for raising $153,000 in its first three years. In July the Children’s Miracle Network's Dance Marathon program honored the College with its highest award, the Incentive Award. The award recognizes exceptional Dance Marathons that have broken the mold. At the time, Zac Johnson, national director of Dance Marathon said, “Saint Mary's College students have set the bar very high for campuses just starting the program. These young women re-imagined what can be accomplished in such a short time and serve as an example to other campuses.”
Media: If you are interested in interviewing Dance Marathon organizers for morning news programs in anticipation of the event, contact Gwen O’Brien. We also invite you to cover Dance Marathon, which has great photo and video opportunities. Marathon activities are not limited to dancing, and include crafts, bands, face painting, Twister tournaments, and tug-of-war competitions.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
