Iowa State Dance Marathon means a lot to Alex Pringnitz because it means he can help sick children do what they should be able to do: “Simply be a kid.”

As the funding director for the organization and a senior in elementary education, Pringnitz said Dance Marathon has helped expose him to families who fight battles he “cannot begin to image.”

“I want to do as much as I can for these kids because I am able to,” Pringnitz said. 

This year, Iowa State’s Dance Marathon celebrates its 22nd year. Members are hoping to go back to the beginning by rooting themselves “why.”

Dance Marathon is a year-long fundraiser aimed to help children and families spending time in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Meg Trumper, public relations director of Dance Marathon, said the children can be dealing with anything from life-threatening illnesses to recovering from injuries and everything in between.

Iowa State Dance Marathon began in 1998 as a 10-hour event held in the basement of State Gym. According to the Iowa State Dance Marathon website, Dance Marathon is “the largest student-run philanthropy on campus.”

The big event is 15 hours. In total, the Iowa State Dance Marathon has raised more than $2.7 million for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

The Dance Marathon is not only a fundraiser, but a “celebration of life.” Through the Children’s Miracle Network all donations raised for Dance Marathon throughout the year are donated to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

Trumper said Iowa State currently has 34 Miracle Families they communicate with year-round. These 34 families total 36 Miracle Children being helped through Dance Marathon. 

On top of the Miracle Families in contact with Iowa State, many other children are helped through the equipment sponsored and the rooms funded by Dance Marathon.

During the event on Friday, dancers stay on their feet for 15 hours to show support for the families who spend hours in the waiting room. The event serves as a huge party with dancing, music, games and hanging out with the kids.

“The fact that I know that we really are making a difference in the lives of these families that have gone through so much brings me back time-and-time again,” Trumper said. “I have had the opportunity to meet several families that have been impacted by Dance Marathon and knowing that we mean as much to them as they do to us is a really rewarding feeling.”

The big event is a celebration of all the work and fundraising accomplished throughout the year. It also includes an unveiling of the total funds raised for 2018.

Erin Thiets, a senior in supply chain management and marketing, is a dancer at this year’s Dance Marathon. She is participating because cancer has had a personal impact on her life.

“I personally wanted to be involved with Dance Marathon because cancer is near and dear to my heart,” Thiets said. “My dad passed away a year-and-a-half ago and since then I have joined other organizations focused around finding a cure for cancer. So, joining Dance Marathon was very empowering and putting smiles on the kiddos faces is a blessing to be involved with.”

For Miracle Families and Miracle Children, Dance Marathon allows them a chance to forget about the hospital, medicine and waiting and allows them to get back to being just kids.

In total, Dance Marathon takes a team of 19 executive members along with 200 committee members to make the big event what Trumper said is “like Christmas” for the kids.

Although this big event takes time to plan, the organization also has different smaller events year round along with meetings. Planning starts in the fall after the annual 4k For the Kids.

“It’s this giant flood of emotions throughout the Great Hall where everyone has this sense of pride and accomplishment because we did that, but then you look to the side and see a mom hug her child when they see what we did for them,” Trumper said. “It’s amazing.”