This past Monday a group of five Loras College students involved in Dance Marathon got together and drove almost four hours, for one very special reason: THE KIDS! The group was given the opportunity to go to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital for a playdate. And what exactly is a playdate? Well, playdates are great opportunities to visit, play, and have fun with the kids in the hospital. It’s a chance to help the kids forget that they are in a hospital and to help them remember that they are still kids! In this group of lucky DM-ers there were a few first time visitors that had a wonderful time and there’s one particular story that is well worth sharing…
While on my first playdate I was very lucky, because I was able to be a “one-on-one”, meaning I got to go visit with children that were in complete isolation. I was given a list of three kids to visit and each time I had to suit up before entering their rooms; this entailed lots of hand sanitizer, mask, gloves, and a gown. My first one-on-one was with Dylan, an 11 year old. I was a little nervous but seeing his smiling face as I entered the room put me at ease. We talked about what he enjoys doing and that’s when he began explaining to me everything there is to know about Pokémon. With a PlayStation DS in close reach of his bed, it became very obvious to me that that he truly loved Pokémon. I then asked what his favorite Pokémon was, he responded, “Jirachi”. Then I asked why he likes Jirachi so much, “His power” Dylan said. After inquiring about what Jirachi’s power actually was Dylan told me, “He grants wishes”. I told him that was really neat and how cool would that be to have someone to grant wishes for you all the time! He smiled at me, and then said, “I would wish I never got sick”. My heart melted after he said that. He then asked if I have ever been in the hospital before. I told him once, but for only four days when I had pneumonia. Dylan just grinned and said, “I beat you!!”
It’s moments like these that we come to realize why we are a part of Dance Marathon. By being a part of Dance Marathon we’re doing so much more than just raising money and staying up for 12 hours. We’re dancing for those who can’t.
FTK.
