Families and Dance Marathon executive council members gathered at the Memorial Union Sunday morning to celebrate the success of the event over brunch.

Meg Harms, families co-director, said this year’s marathon included 10 new families.

Harms is also a Daily staff writer.

“Hopefully our Dance Marathon family will continue to grow,” she said.

Tom Klaus, Children’s Miracle Network adviser to ISU Dance Marathon, said ever day families with children treated at the Children’s Hospital in Iowa City wrestle with reality. By participating in Dance Marathon, participants step onto the mat and help the families conquer the challenges of their reality.

“As you are giving them a gift they will give you a gift,” he said.

Klaus said that when faced with a challenge, students will be able to look back on the families they supported through Dance Marathon to gain the courage and the desire to wrestle reality.

— Natalie Spray