2008 Woodie Awards
Dancing for a miracle
USC alumni, students dance 24 hours to raise money for children's hospital
Sean Gruber
Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: News
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Kenner pulls out a folded piece of cloth decorated with pink elephants and green giraffes. When it's folded, it fits neatly into the palm of Kenner's hand. Unfolded, it's the size of her hand.
"This was McKayla's first diaper," Kenner said. "It was too big for her. You could pull her right out of it when she had it on."
Kenner goes back to the bag and pulls out a sock. It's dwarfed by Kenner's thumb.
"This was McKayla's first sock," Kenner said. "They looked like boots when we put them on her."
Today, McKayla is a healthy 6-year-old, living like any other child. But when she was born in 2002, doctors did not expect her to live. She was born 5 and a half months early.
Friday, Kenner speaks at the annual Dance Marathon at USC to help raise money for the Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, where her baby was delivered. This will be her third year speaking.
"Money raised from the Dance Marathon went to update the equipment and training for the Labor and NICU units that I was treated by," Kenner said. "I didn't know that the money I raised as an undergrad at USC would ever benefit me as an adult. I feel like the hospital has done so much for us. I have to pay them back."
The USC Dance Marathon is a 24-hour dancing event that raises money for the Palmetto Children's Hospital and the Miracle Children Network. The donated money is used to buy new equipment for children's hospitals and health charities. The dance marathon will also be donating money to help construct a new free-standing children's hospital in Columbia. This year's marathon will begin Friday at 7 p.m. and continue through Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center.
Ryan Wade, director of USC Dance Marathon and a fourth-year experimental psychology student, said the program, now going into its 10th year, has become a family to him. He said the program not only affects people like McKayla, but students working behind the scenes as well.
"Dance Marathon has always been something close to the hearts of those it affects the most - the families, but never do we truly realize the impact it can have on those that it does not directly benefit until we put a year of our blood, sweat and tears into it," Wade said.
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