LoboTHON, a student-run philanthropy effort, raised $47,288.90 for the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital this past Saturday, April 8.
The event centers around a 10-hour dance marathon that has been held on campus for the past nine years and has raised over $400,000 combined from past years, according to their website.
The UNM Children’s Hospital is a part of the Children’s Miracle Network, which helps fundraise for hospitals to cover costs for the children being treated there, according to CMN. Kasey Lenning, the executive director of LoboTHON, has worked fundraising for the past two years.
“Being involved in this organization for the past four years, I have personally gotten to see the positive impact this event has on the UNM community. Raising money for UNMCH also means that donations stay close to home, meaning we can tangibly see the impact the money we raise makes,” Lenning said in an article for UNM Newsroom.
UNM being the only Level IV NICU in the state underscores the importance of the UNM Children’s Hospital, not only to the local community but to the entire state of New Mexico. When the final tally was spoken at the end of the day and the cheers of attendees rang out, the feelings of success shared by many, including Lenning, were obvious.
“Seeing the total (raised) is one of the big things to look forward to,” Lenning said. “But being here with my team and my friends and getting to meet the miracle kids and listen to their story is wonderful, too. Being part of a movement that is larger than yourself is the best part of LoboTHON.”
The event also featured table tennis and cornhole, and dances from various student teams that were fundraising. In one event, a student ate various weird and unappetizing items in return for donations.
Taking time to hear the stories of children at the hospital is also a focal point of the event, according to Dorsa Zamanian, the campus relations and outreach chair for LoboTHON.
“The cause is really great, and coming here to hear the people's stories, you know why it’s so important and why we put so much energy in this every year … It’s important to know what’s going on in our hospitals. And this is one way you can see that,” Zamanian said.
Zacaria Adonicam is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. They can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ZAdonicam
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