The main purpose of Dance Marathon at UF is to raise money and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network and Shands Children’s Hospital. But what many people don’t understand is the why we stand for 26.2 hours. Many of the children who are admitted into Shands go through pain and suffering that most of us cannot even comprehend. The act of staying awake and on our feet for 26.2 hours is meant to give dancers a greater appreciation and understanding of the struggles that the patients of Shands Children’s Hospital undergo.
