DM Resolutions

I love the idea of starting out fresh for a New Year, dreaming big, searching far, trying new things, finding that one special word or phrase to encourage you everyday to be the best version of yourself. But all of this is far more meaningful if you remember the bends in the roads behind you. All the struggles and dead ends you have hit have lead to where you are today, and for that I am so thankful for all the bends I have encountered in the last year.

That one special phrase that encourages me everyday is without doubt, ‘FOR THE KIDS’. This is a phrase that comes as a loaded phrase with so many different reason to be used but always in the more purest way being that everything we do is for the kiddos, with them at the center of our purpose.

I find it absolutely amazing that another year has passed. The earth has orbited the sun once again. I’m another year older that’s for sure, another year wiser—I’d like to think so. I like to think that all I have learned, all the wisdom I have gained in the past year have helped shape me into who I am today and I owe much of that growth to Dance Marathon.

At the beginning of last year, 2018, I was a morale captain. I was learning and finding friendships in 39 amazingly wonderful other humans who were all fighting for the same cause, to cure childhood cancer. We were working as a team to encourage our teams to fight for the strongest heroes I know. Being a morale captain absolutely pushed out of my comfort zone and for that I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this organization.

I currently serve as the Director of Operations and every single day I am amazed by those I get to work with. I am in awe at their strength, their work ethic and their pure souls that are fighting every day for the kiddos and their families. Fighting for a time where we can dance in remembrance and celebration of a time when childhood cancer still existed.

This past year has also brought nursing school into my life. Some days it is nearly impossible to find the strength to continue to study or to find the last little bit of focus my brain can conjure up to learn the next drug or the next procedure. But you know what my motivation is? It is the kiddos. One day I will be working in Pediatric Oncology. One day I will be working with kiddos who are going through undoubtedly the hardest part of their lives, but I will be there for them, trying to make them smile, trying to make them forget that they are sick beyond their wildest dreams and in a position no parent could ever imagine their tiny little healthy human to be in. I will fight to make their next needle poke into a game, I will help I will find a way to encourage them to fight another a day. These kiddos are my inspiration. They are the greatest, strongest heroes I have ever encountered and the idea that I will someday have the opportunity to work closely with kiddos just like them and their families inspires me every day to be better for them. They make me want to be better and learn more.

We have the opportunity to change lives. YOU GUYS let me say that again. WE have the power to change lives. The power to make an impact, the power to show someone what Dance Marathon is really about and with the new approaching, I really believe that this is our year. This is the year we make new goals or resolutions, scary goals but that’s okay because scary is good.

Let’s all make DM resolutions but not monetary ones. No. Let’s make resolutions to be better role models for the kiddos, to be better inspirations for each other and to continue to spread DM love everything single day of the year, never forgetting the true purpose of Dance Marathon. Never ever forgetting the phrase “For the Kids” and letting that be a huge motivator in everything you do. A year is 525600 minutes. That is so many minutes. Let’s not waste a single one.

I want to end this blog with my most favorite quote ever from my most favorite dm video ever. https://www.facebook.com/UNIDanceMarathon/videos/1184546404892735/

“No one has ever become poor because they gave too much. Because seeing the smiles on hopeless souls that are loved is more than enough. The best preachers are your fingers as they dry the eyes off broken hearts or hug the souls of hopeless weepers. Oh there are oceans of love that flow from your fingers.”