Volume 2, Issue 3 October 2010

The mission of The UNC Dance Marathon is to unite the University, community and state in fostering emotional
and financial support that improves the quality of life for the patients, families and staff of N.C. Children’s Hospital.

Upcoming “Dancing: The vertical expression of a

horizontal desire legalized by music.”
Events -
Oct. 3: Festifall ~ George Bernard Shaw
Enjoy arts, crafts
and interactive
dance performances What’s up this month?
Oct. 8: Cornhole
Tournament
Play or watch at
Living, breathing, Pogo-
He’s Not Here sticking Inspiration
Oct. 12: California A kid co-captain and her parents share their experiences
Pizza Kitchen per- at N.C. Children’s Hospital and last year’s marathon.
centage night see page 2

Bring fliers to CPK to

eat for the kids World Tour: UNC-DM goes
Oct. 14: Craig
Woolard Band
global for the kids Pediatric Playroom — September 2010
Students and community members packed Players to
Support UNC-DM at learn the 2011 UNC-DM theme and to enjoy a bar sing
Pantana Bob’s by four campus a cappella groups.
How to survive UNC-DM 2011:
Oct. 17: Vermonster see page 3 1. Order Bskis-they deliver anywhere!
Sign up at the door to
eat 20 scoops of Ben
Spotlight: Wheelchair and 2. Bring Catchphrase-the game never gets old,
believe it or not, and only gets better as
& Jerry’s ice cream
Aquatics Therapy Grants the night goes on.
Oct. 29: Homecom- New wheelchairs and supplies for an aquatics therapy pro-
ing Golf Classic 3. Do a lap around the gym
gram enable UNC Hospitals to provide specialized care.

see page 4
During the 18th cen-
tury, dancing masters
UNC-DM to expand 5th For the Kids Story
traveled from village
to village in Ireland.
annual golf tournament Helen is a 14-month-old
child who came to the
She had had a new job
for one week, and had
The Homecoming Golf Classic provides a way for alumni
Wearing bright and hospital with a foreign earned one day of sick
and community members to get involved in UNC-DM. body that needed to be leave.
flamboyant clothing,
they would teach peas- see pages 4-5 removed from her stom- After already missing six
ants to dance. Many of ach. days of work, she was
these peasants did not The foreign body turned concerned about the
know their right feet Presence in the Hospital out to be an earplug. missed income as well as
from their left, so the She continued to have job security.
masters would tie hay We held three Parents’ Night Out dinners, digestive problems and Assistance with the cost
to one of their feet and unexpectedly needed to of food in the hospital
hosted one social, had Healthy Steps every have an extended admis-
would in- from the For the Kids
week, and held one Pediatric Playroom. We sion to evaluate those is- Fund alleviated some
struct them
also installed Dance Dance Revolution in sues. of the stress associated
to “lift hay
foot.”
the waiting room for UNC-DM volunteers to Helen’s single-parent with her daughter’s hos-
bring out to play with patients. mother stayed with her. pitalization.

Kid Co-Captains inspire dancers and committees year-round
By Victoria Cook the energy that was present in
Asheton Ayotte is an energetic,
soon to be 9-year-old girl who en-
joys jumping on her pogo stick,
playing the piano and listening to
the Beatles. She is fun-loving and
her energy automatically lights up
any room she enters.
You’d never guess she is a miracle
child.
Tiana Ayotte gave birth to Asheton
when she was only 25 weeks preg-
nant. Asheton was born weighing 1
pound and 14 ounces.
For 15 weeks, she remained in
the neo-natal intensive care unit
of N.C. Children’s Hospital where
her father said they measured her
progress by how many grams she
gained.
“We solely attribute her success to
being at N.C. Children’s Hospital,
without a doubt,” said Asheton’s
father, Matt. “If she had been any-
where else, I absolutely believe
she would not have done as well as
she’s done.”
October Newsletter
Fetzer Gym.
“What Dance Marathon does in
terms of supporting the entire Chil-
dren’s Hospital is beyond words,”
Matt said. “You’re supporting clini-
cal care initiatives [and] the re-
search that the clinicians are then
taking to the bedside of these in-
credibly sick and clinically chal-
lenged kids.”
“It’s so meaningful, and yet at the
same time it’s so noble that you
guys are involved in something
that you haven’t necessarily used
yet. And you hope you never do.”
In 2010 UNC-DM introduced kid co-
captains who had been patients at
N.C. Children’s Hospital.
The organization wanted to create
a stronger connection between the
hospital, the dancers and the fami-
lies that are being supported, said
Taylor Scott, overall coordinator in
2010.
“So many students take a stand
‘For the Kids’ but this was a way
to give a specific name, face and
story to the difference that each
UNC student was making in the
lives of families at the hospital,”
she wrote in an e-mail.
Asheton was a kid co-captain at
last year’s marathon and will be
joining a team again this February.
She said that last year’s marathon
was a lot of fun and that she’s look-
ing forward to doing it again.
The presence of these former
patients at the Marathon gives
the dancers the added boost to
push through the times when it’s
the hardest to keep going, wrote
James Howard, captain of one of
the teams Asheton co-captained
last year, in an e-mail.
“The kids are success stories prov-
ing that Dance Marathon makes a
difference, changing lives for the
better.”

During their 107 days in the hos- Committed to the cause

pital, Matt and Tiana formed rela-
tionships with physicians and nurs-
es that would continue even years
after Asheton’s long stay.

“They’re wonderful people in addi-

tion to being wonderful physicians
and nurses,” Matt said.

The Ayottes developed an especial-

ly close friendship with the nurse
who was in the delivery room with
Asheton.

“[She] was her primary nurse her

entire time at the hospital and
walked out with us and put Asheton
in the car when we left,” said Tia-
na. “And we see her every year.”
Committee Recruitment Week got The UNC Dance Marathon off to a
The Ayottes attended The UNC great start this year, with lots of applications coming in for each of the
Dance Marathon for the first time 13 committees. After an all-committee member meeting, each group
last year and were so amazed by met individually and has begun preparing for the marathon in February.
 October Newsletter
Around the World: UNC-DM goes global with 2011 theme
By Margot Pien
A sea of white packed the dance
floor at Players Sept. 17. Inspired
by flashing lights and pulsing mu-
sic, the energy was high as club-
goers awaited the moment of the
reveal of The 2011 UNC Dance Mar-
athon theme.
Around 11:30 p.m. curiosity and in-
trigue took over as a hush spread
through the crowd.
The mystery was soon put to
rest as the 2011 Overall Commit-
tee took the stage, decked out in
headdresses, hats and costumes.
Bursting with spirit, they excitedly The 2011 overall committee dances to ATC’s “Around the World” after
revealed The 2011 UNC Dance Mar- revealing the World Tour Theme.
athon theme…World Tour!
With stunning performances from
Students and committee members UNC a cappella groups Psalm 100,
flocked to the popular Franklin St. The Loreleis, Tar Heel Voices and
bar to celebrate the second annual The Achordants, students were
Theme Reveal for UNC-DM. pumped up for the unofficial kick-
The invitations encouraged every- off event.
one to wear white and bring their Cook added the local talent to the
enthusiasm. With all proceeds go- event in an effort to expand the
ing to N. C. Children’s Hospital, target audience, and it seemed to
the Theme Reveal was a chance to Students at Players “raise the add an extra thrill to the night.
bring the community together to roof” in anticipation of the big re-
veal. “My favorite part was the atmo-
support a common cause.
sphere,” said new committee
Overall Coordinator Sarah Beth “I was ecstatic to see three times member Erin Burks. “Most people
Wilkison said this year’s event was more people at this year’s Theme there were from the UNC commu-
better than Reveal,” Cook said. nity and it was great to be part
ever, thanks The subject of the theme reveal of something that goes towards a
to expert was a secret the overall commit- good cause.”
planning tee members decided on in April. Cook saw the Theme Reveal as a
by Campus
“We tried so hard to keep our chance for students and locals to
Fundraising
mouths shut,” Wilkison said. mingle and raise support.
Chair Galen
Cook. After much deliberation, the com- “A huge part of The UNC Dance
mittee members narrowed down Marathon mission is to unite the
“Galen has
the choices to World Tour, Safari University and community in fos-
taken it to a whole new level,”
and Decades. tering support,” she said. “If the
Wilkison said.
Theme Reveal on Friday wasn’t
With an even larger turnout this “Every committee can expand on a realization of this, then I don’t
year, UNC-DM hopes to make the the ‘around the world’ idea, and know what is.”
Theme Reveal an annual event in hopefully we can do more to in-
the activities leading up to the 24- corporate it into our year-round
hour marathon in February. activities,” Wilkison said.

Sp ot ligh t Gr a n t s: Wh e e l ch a i r
a n d Aqu ati c s T h e r a p y
By Olivia Barrow
Before receiving a grant
from The UNC Dance
Marathon for four new
wheelchairs, the patients
at UNC Hospitals were us-
ing a fleet of dilapidated
chairs held together with
duct tape.
“It was definitely embar-
rassing and probably not
as safe as we would like,”
said Emily Hoyle, an oc-
cupational therapist at
the hospital. “It’s really
nice to have something
that’s updated and in
good condition.”
The only wheelchairs that
the Hospital previously
provided were transport
wheelchairs that do not
provide enough support
for weak patients.
“The wheelchairs get a
lot of kids out of their
rooms,” Hoyle said. “If
they didn’t have some-
thing appropriate and
safe they could sit in,
they couldn’t go down to
the playrooms or butter-
fly room.”
The new wheelchairs,
paid for by the Physical/
Occupational Therapy-
Wheelchair Grant, are
equipped with seatbelts
and fit children from in-
fants to teenagers.
The wheelchairs have ad-
justments that allow for
varying levels of stability
and strength. The new,
stronger wheelchairs allow
previously bed-ridden kids
October Newsletter
to enjoy more of the fea-
tures of the hospital out-
side a hospital room.
Mark Prochazka, Pediatric
Physical and Occupation-
al Therapy unit manager,
said the unit relies on do-
nations from the commu-
nity to provide the same
level care as other pri-
vate specialty hospitals
in the area.
“The hospital provides a
certain level of services,”
Prochazka said. “UNC
Hospitals really want to
provide the resources to
people, but specialized
patients sometimes take
additional support.”
Another grant given to
the unit was for aquat- U NC-D M to h o s t go l f c l as s i c
ics therapy, which helped
purchase a storage cabi- By Olivia Barrow more golfers this year.
net for pool floats that are
Although The UNC Dance “It’s a great day of relax-
appropriate for younger
Marathon’s most popu- ing activities that unites
patients. The unit uses
lar event is the 24-hour current students, both
a heated therapy pool at
marathon in February, UNC-DM and otherwise,
the UNC Wellness Center
UNC-DM events take community members,
in Meadowmont to help
place all year for those UNC-DM supporters, and
rehabilitate patients with
who are unable to dance alumni from across the
cerebral palsy or spinal
or want to be even more state in support of the
cord injuries.
involved. children and families of
Hoyle said the Meadow- the NC Children’s Hospi-
UNC-DM’s Homecoming
mont pool provides chil- tal,” Murphy wrote in an
Golf Classic in October is
dren who live in rural ar- e-mail.
the second most promot-
eas and don’t have access
ed event by UNC-DM and The tournament is open
to such therapy programs
is open to everyone. to everyone with an entry
a chance to interact with
fee of $100.
a therapist in a pool. The 5th annual home-
“The water is very warm, coming golf tournament The ticket includes lunch,
is Oct. 29 at The Preserve dinner, a polo, and auto-
and it helps loosen them
at Jordan Lake. matic entry into a raffle
up,” Prochazka said.
that takes place during
“The kids have fun and Alumni Relations Chair Ol-
dinner.
there are sessions that in- ivia Murphy said 52 golf-
corporate the things kids ers competed last year
like to do.” and they expect even Continued on Next Page
 October Newsletter
Hole-in-one prizes include a
2010 Porsche Boxster, cruise
tickets, airplane tickets and gift
‘ B r a i n Freeze’ for t he kids
certificates to Golfsmith, the
world’s largest golf superstore.
The tournament is especially
beneficial for non-students who
cannot dance in the marathon,
according to UNC-DM Alumni
Relations golf tournament sub-
chair Emma Harbaugh.
“Alumni and friends of the Uni-
versity can’t dance in February,
but they definitely can golf,”
said Harbaugh in an e-mail.
The tournament is planning
on increasing participation by
inviting the top 20 golf clubs
across the state to send teams
and holding a revamped inter- UNC-DM held its first Vermonster competition at the Ben and Jerry’s on
fraternity challenge. Franklin Street on Sept. 26. 10 teams, representing the 13 committees,
competed to eat 20 scoops of ice cream the fastest. The Publicity Com-
mittee won the event — along with bragging rights and the chance to
compete again at the marathon.

The UNC Dance Marathon has teamed up with

the Carolina Athletic Association to sell Home-
coming T-shirts this year.
CAA will donate $2 to DM for every T-shirt sold!
Students will also be awarded one raffle ticket for
every T-shirt purchased to win a signed Butch
Davis football! Shirts are available in Carolina
blue, white and black.

Next issue:
Be sure to check out these stories in our
November issue ­— Grant Spotlight: Center
for Clinical Excellence, Dancer Profile