Anna Salamy’s life was described to her as a cocoon waiting to become a butterfly - although she was a prisoner in her body, she would receive a new body in heaven, explained her family.
In her five years of life, Anna endured a liver resection, two living-donor transplants, five rounds of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries due to her diagnosis of Hepatoblastoma, according to an OU Medical Center publication.
“Anna loved Dance Marathon at OU,” said Jennifer Linck, Sponsor Coordinator for Children’s Hospital Foundation. “She received support, both financially and emotionally, from [the event].”
Although DM provides strength to children like Anna, without further support from OU administration and faculty leaders, DM could become obsolete at OU.
DM is a nationwide movement benefitting Children’s Miracle Network at over 130 schools across the country, according to Zac Johnson, DM National Chair.
Support from OU DM funds life-saving pediatric research locally at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center.
Direct backing from OU leaders, like President Boren and Bob Stoops, may contribute to the future survival of OU DM.
At many universities, the college president, athletic teams and campus icons are highlighted at the DM event, increasing recruitment and sponsorship.
“The more support and participation we have from the university, the more money we will raise,” said Linck.
Boren and Stoops’ attendance at DM 2010 was requested by invitation: Stoops sent an apologetic letter declining due to a schedule conflict and there was no response from Boren, according to Linck’s files.
Stoops frequently visits the Children’s Hospital without involving the media, signing autographs and playing with the kids, as said by Linck.
OU community leaders that were featured at DM 2010 included two doctors from OU Medical Center, a performance by OU Pom, Miss OU 2010 and a group of miracle families, according to an event itinerary.
For the past two years, OU DM has contributed approximately $30,000-$34,000 to CMN, according to Campus Activities Council invoices.
Similarly to OU, the University of Iowa focuses their philanthropic efforts solely on DM; however, they raised $1,058,568 through DM in 2010.
Also this year, DM at UCLA raised $407,223, $7,838,054 at Penn State and $854,396 at Northwestern University, according to their respective websites.
“The [University of] Iowa DM and other successful DM programs have a great presence of university officials,” said Danielle Bourgeois, OU DM 2010 Chair. “Their president and recognizable leaders make a huge impact on their ability to attain sponsorships.”
Upon brainstorming ways to involve university officials in the upcoming year, Bourgeois suggested that her executive committee write letters to Boren.
The committee acknowledged that Boren and administration can receive great advantages through DM – monetary support for OU Medical Center, publicity and charity.
Before the letters were sent, a warning was given.
“As an office who is supervised by Vice President Clarke Stroud, who directly reports to President Boren, the support comes from having people like me and [Assistant Director] Kristen Partridge on staff,” said Quy Nguyen, Assistant Director of Student Life and DM advisor.
“By serving as representatives of President Boren, we put 110% into DM because we believe in the cause and know that the rest of the university does too,” said Nguyen.
The letters intended for Boren from committee members have yet to be sent, according to Bourgeois.
The donation given to OU Medical Center from DM is significantly less than most of the donations they receive.
A recent gift of $500,000 was donated to the OU Medical Center from Ally’s House, devoted to helping children diagnosed with cancer, according to oumedicine.com.
Because financial aid from OU DM is considered to be lacking, a group of employees at the Children’s Hospital have discussed ending the partnership between OU Medical Center and OU DM, cancelling the event altogether, according to Linck.
DM is OU's largest student-run philanthropic initiative.
Although financial support from the event is small in comparison, it contributes to keeping funds in Oklahoma so that no child has to leave the state to receive the best medical care possible.
Aside from raising funds, a less obvious result of DM is inspiring strength in the kids and encouraging generosity and awareness in participants.
“The university community is a family,” said Garry Armstrong, Assistant Director of OU Recreational Services. “This partnership [between OU Medical Center and OU DM] reflects well upon the OU family through the dedication of students, faculty and staff.”
“Even with hard economic times, DM still attracts students to take time out of their busy schedule and fundraise for a worthy cause,” said Armstrong.
Students, faculty and community members who attended DM 2010 were introduced to Oklahoma children like Anna, fighting diseases at a young age.
“Ultimately, DM is a great way for OU students to support their university while helping Oklahoma’s kids,” said Linck.
Future DM committee members will focus on transforming DM as a cocoon to a butterfly by encouraging additional support from OU leaders, according to Bourgeois.
*I was a member of the DM 2010 executive committee.
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