Giselle Lopez

IlliniThon is the Miracle Network Dance Marathon Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We are part of a national movement of Dance Marathon programs at college campuses that raise money for their local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. For IlliniThon that is St. John's Children's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. IlliniThon raises money by creating and hosting various fundraising, recruitment, engagement, and education events throughout the year. These events involve and engage over 1,300 students each year on the University of Illinois campus. These events and efforts all culminate in a 12-hour, no-sitting Dance Marathon held each spring. This event serves as a celebration and reveal of the total of the fundraising efforts throughout the year, a "thank-you"​ to the members and leadership team for their hard work, and an opportunity for the Miracle Families and Kids to share their stories. The 2018 program raised $348,824.18 for HSHS St. John's, bringing the total of the past 4 years of fundraising to over $1,000,000. 2018 IlliniThon Vision Statement: Through our teamwork, cooperation, and hard work, we will dedicate our time to ensure the happiness and emotional and financial support the families of HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital deserve. We will maintain an optimistic and open-minded mindset as we adapt to challenges we encounter. We see everyone through a lens of equality and respect while making decisions that ultimately always benefit the families. Finally, we will remain compassionate and honest while holding one another accountable to our commitment to serve the kiddos as best as we possibly can.