Hospital feels IUDM’s impact after marathon

Almost a week after dancers kicked their last steps on the gym floor at IU Dance Marathon, Riley Hospital for Children is still feeling good vibrations.\nWhen IUDM announced the organization raised more than $1 million over the past year to donate to the hospital, employees, patients and their families were ecstatic.\n“The amount of energy and the amount of time that we see (IUDM volunteers) spending on behalf of Riley – year after year gaining more steam – clearly does not go unnoticed,” said Jason Mueller, Riley Children’s Foundation assistant communications manager.\nKatherine Cain, the senior events coordinator for the Riley Children’s Foundation, said the donations from IUDM not only created the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center, but continue to be the sole source of funding for the clinic.\n“Every dollar that we raise helps another patient in the hospital,” said senior Molly Giles, IUDM director of event coordination. “By raising a million dollars, hopefully we helped as many kids as we could.”\nGiles has participated in IUDM since her freshman year as a dancer, a volunteer and as a member of the executive council.\nShe said after participating in many different ways with IUDM, she realized it isn’t just the money, but the support that really helps Riley’s cause.\n“After meeting with the kids and being with the kids, it’s just so evident how important it is to them and it’s not just the money,” Giles said. “Seeing how much fun they have during (IUDM) weekend makes (an impact).”\nRiley employees agreed.\n“Oh my goodness – the support that the students give the kids,” Cain said. “We try to make the children at Riley understand that there are people out there fundraising for them. It gives them hope and inspiration to keep fighting.”\nCain said hospital visits are one of the most important ways IUDM volunteers contribute.\n“When you see the kids at the hospital, it (makes) more (of an impact),” Giles said. “When you see them at Dance Marathon, everybody’s happy and you almost forget that they’re sick.”\nMueller said “excitement” reverberates throughout Riley with the children and the staff, especially during the weekend of IUDM.\n“Our goal is that the children will have some fun and not have to focus on what’s going on in their lives,” said Matt Hodes, internal vice president for IUDM. “(They can) focus on being a kid and running around and enjoying themselves.”\nHodes said yearly events, including IUDM and pumpkin picks, gave Riley parents the opportunity to de-stress and meet other Riley parents.\n“We’ll babysit their kid for them,” Hodes said. “And they’ll have some time for themselves and hopefully they’ll enjoy what we’re doing for them.”\nLara DePoy, parent of a Riley patient, said she appreciated IUDM’s ability to provide a place for her child, Jackson, to mingle with other children.\nDePoy said funds that benefit Riley’s Ryan White Infectious Disease Center helped her child with diagnosis and treatment. \nBut IUDM volunteers argued that the marathon hasn’t just vastly changed the lives of Riley patients and parents, but their own as well.\nHodes said the tale of how Riley has changed his life “would be literally a 10-page story.”\nHe came to IU as a business major, but soon after participating in the marathon, he switched his course of study to pre-med. Hodes interned at Riley, a job he said gave him even more personal connection to IUDM.\n“In whatever I do in my life, I want to give back to the community,” Hodes said. “It‘s made me realize that that’s what I want to do.”