SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — A 15-hour dance marathon at San Diego State University that began Friday and ended Saturday surpassed its fundraising goal, according to organizers.
Dance Marathon SDSU set out with a goal to raise $321,000 for the treatment of children’s illnesses and cancers at Rady Children’s Hospital.
The dance marathon’s director of public relations Jenna Snyder sent an update to News 8 on Sunday saying that the event raised over $322,000.
“We did reach our goal, much to our shock,” said Snyder. “We raised an amazing amount.”
The dance marathon brought together hundreds of SDSU students and was made possible by a philanthropic student-run group which has marathons throughout the nation at universities for Children’s Miracle Network.
“Students across SDSU you wouldn’t think would want to be here on a Friday night [are] coming together to stay up for 15-hours just so a kid at Rady’s can live a happier, healthy life. [It is] unreal,” Snyder said Friday.
One child whose family called Rady Children’s Hospital their savior, is 8-year-old Gideon who took his last chemotherapy pill on stage at the dance marathon after having fought leukemia for 1,195 days.
Click here if you would like to make a donation to or learn more about Dance Marathon SDSU.
See below for video of Gideon saying “goodbye” to chemo and images from the event courtesy of event organizers.
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