Dance Marathon

What a wonderful day we had Saturday at UVA!  We attended the 16th annual Dance Marathon to raise money for The Children's Hospital! 

First off thank you to the Dance Marathon committee!   Thank you for all the time and work you put into the Dance Marathon this year that raised over $70,000 for kids like our David who received chemo and radiation at UVA Children's Hospital.  I know your plate is full with classes and preparing for your future.  You carved out time to not only raise valuable funds, but you gave us a day of fun that we will never forget. 

Thank you for playing with our children yesterday and letting them have a day of fun away from clinic and the hospital.  Thank you for welcoming our children with love and a kind smile whether they had hair or not. 

Thank you to the clinic staff for coming out with your families to have fun.  After your child has been through the nightmare of cancer treatment you become part of our family.  You really are lifesavers to us and you know first hand what we have been through.  You held our hands as you shared the cancer diagnosis with us, thank you for also jumping, bouncing, and playing with us.  You are a special group of doctors and nurses and we all thank God for you.  You are our heroes. 

Thank you Josh and Ryan for passionately raising money and awareness for UVA Children's Hospital.  Your work is way more than a job to you both and thank you on behalf of the all the miracle children for what you do.  David adores you both!

Thank you UVA football team for being so sweet and kind to David and all the other children.  These kids look up to you and thank you for spending a Saturday with some amazing kids.  Whether you win or lose this upcoming season, you were all winners yesterday with these kids. 

Thank you Dance Marathon crowd for letting our kids shine yesterday.  They have all been through their own special kind of medical nightmare, and yesterday you let them be the stars that they are to us, their parents.  We are so proud of our kids and what they have been through and yesterday you celebrated all their progress with fun and smiles.  Lets hope next year David is not quite as "shy"  :)

Thank you to all the special athletes that came yesterday.  David thoroughly enjoyed socializing with the football team and he even played a little game  called "how many football players can I stuff in the bounce house" that was really fun.  Thank you for getting in there and bouncing with David. 

Thank you to Krissy Pitts, a fellow cancer Mom to sweet Anna, who choreographed and taught the families, doctors, nurses, and kids a special "flash mob" dance that we surprised the Dance Marathon students with.  I am feeling pretty confident that we totally rocked it. 

Thank you Dr. Belyea for your continued care and compassion.  Not only do you and your wife have the CUTEST twin boys, but you are a fabulous physician.  You patiently answer all my "what if" questions and it truly stressed you Friday night to call me with those iffy labs.  Your heart is gold Dr. B and we are so thankful for you and all the doctors that care for our kids. 

 

Thank you UVA football quarterback, David Watford, for allowing David to school you in some hoops and for letting him coach you on how to win next year.  Here he is giving you a lecture on how to score touchdowns.  We will be cheering you on next season just as loudly as you cheered for our kids yesterday. 

Thank you Ryan Lightner for coming up with this hilarious and fabulous idea for David's introduction.  Each miracle child was introduced and David did the "Lebron James dusting" with powder when he came on stage.  It was hilarious and what a fabulous idea:)

Overall it was a fabulous day of fun and memories for our kids!  We will definitely be back next year!