HootaThon Raises Over $280,000 to Change the Future of CHOP

Mitten Hall midnight November 7 – Temple students started dancing for the 12-hour dance marathon HootaThon.

Now in it’s 3^rd year, the organization raised $280,620.76, the highest raising 3^rd year dance marathon ever.  The Phi Theta chapter Alpha Epsilon Phi funded the most of all the Greek organizations on campus.  Other students involved created web pages with information on the event, as well as personal fundraising goals and donation opportunities for family and friends.

HootaThon connects Temple University with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).  The local hospital functions as part of the Children’s Miracle Network of Hospitals, which supports children’s hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children’s health issues throughout the country.

Temple created HootaThon to raise awareness and funds for the Child Life Department at CHOP.

A typical day at CHOP begins with 200 children visiting the emergency department, 32 children receiving cancer treatments, 28 children being treated with heart problems, and 4 children admitted after a serious injury or illness.

The hospital treats over 1.3 million patients annually. Along with their constant childcare, CHOP currently has over 1,500 research studies taking place.

Rebecca Rosenblatt, captain of the Temple Honors Team, provided insight on the events of the night saying, “The money we raise goes towards finding a cure for sick children or making their stays more bearable.  Getting the kids to full health is so important, and CHOP performs miracles everyday to make that happen.”

Part of the purpose of the 12 hours celebrates the lives of the children by distracting them from hospital beds, helping them forget about schoolwork for the night, and encouraging them to live in the moment.

Towards the end of the night, Temple’s own Diamond Marching Band joined the celebration a couple hours before the final reveal.

When asked about the 3 best words to sum up the dance marathon, Rebecca responded with “rewarding, humbling, exhausting.”