Dancing for a good cause

“It was hard to imagine Trinity was as sick as she was because she never acted like she felt bad,” said Tarver Britton, the Development Assistant at Children’s Hospital who handles all the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) sponsors. Starring at the ground, Britton recounted memories of Trinity Chambliss. “You couldn’t be around her without laughing,” Britton said with smile.
Young Chambliss loved doing arts and crafts, and was known for riding her bike through the halls of the Children’s Hospital while putting a smile on everyone’s face.
This year’s Dance Marathon at GCSU was geared toward the memory and honor of this brave young girl whose life ended at the age of only six. Chambliss was diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoma, a type of cancer, which affected her for roughly three years. Doctors eventually concluded that she needed a bone marrow transplant. After the transplant in the early Autumn of 2006, Chambliss battled with infection that her body no longer had the capacity to fight and she died on December 6, 2006. Chambliss’ mother and two sisters were present for a portion of the Dance Marathon. Her mother spoke publicly for the first time since Chambliss died, which brought a somber sense of reality to the cause and efforts of the event.
Child patients like Chambliss are whom supporters, participants, and organizers are trying to help by raising money through efforts like the Dance Marathon. The young patients that visited evidently made a huge impact at the Dance Marathon and gave flesh to the stories and sentiments echoed by volunteers and workers of the CMN.
Dance Marathon is a national event associated with the CMN that annually takes place on college campuses. GCSU held the event for the third year on Saturday February 24, and participants played games and danced in the game show themed event from noon to midnight without sitting, leaning, or leaving, all for the cause of showing support for the young terminal patients associated with the Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon.
Participants were asked to raise at least fifty dollars, and were charged fifteen dollars upon entrance. Among the 155 participants, $12,166.86 was raised to donate to the CMN benefiting numerous local children suffering from severe illnesses. This type of fundraising is unique because all the
money raised stays in the area to benefit local patients.
Several patients of the local Children’s Hospital in Macon visited the event throughout the day, playing with participants and touching the hearts of everyone present. Just like any other child would do, these kids were playing, laughing, and were excited just to be surrounded by college students who are really just “big kids.”
Junior nursing major, Taylor Sapp, said, “Interacting with [the kids] moves me to want to be more involved and work at a Children’s Hospital one day.”
Nicole Herman, a junior rhetoric major, was the catering chair for the event and said, “I’ve grown to appreciate the hard work that goes into events like this.” She said that being involved in such fundraising events is not only rewarding but also a good way to build a resume. She wants to encourage more college students to get involved and make a difference.
The Dance Marathon takes place every year, and every year volunteers are needed. The G.I.V.E. Center, located in Ennis Hall, provides information on many types of volunteer opportunities and is always in need of more help from willing students. Contact Kendall Stiles in The G.I.V.E. Center for detailed information.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 16 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry