The money will be used for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the hospital’s music therapy program.
MizzouThon announced a $1.3 million pledge to the Women's and Children's Hospital on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 in the MU student center.
Chancellor Alexander Cartwright announced MizzouThon’s new five-year pledge of $1.3 million to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, Dec. 4.
MizzouThon is a Children’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon that started in 2008. Since then, the organization has raised over $1.6 million. According to Cartwright, it is the largest student-run philanthropy on campus. This past year was its 10-year anniversary and members raised over $300,000, allowing them to reach the last pledge amount of $1 million one year early.
The funds will be used to expand and renovate the neonatal intensive care unit and to support the music therapy program at the hospital.
Keri Simon, executive director of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, spoke about the importance of music therapy for children in the hospital.
She said music therapy also benefits children by allowing them to connect with others, it helps them improve coping during difficult procedures, when dealing with illness or injury and manage pain. Simon also said that music therapy also helps babies in the NICU to improve their feeding through their use of rhythm.
Part of the funds will also go toward renovating and expanding the NICU. It will be expanded from a 36-bed unit to a 48-bed unit, including 20 private, critical care rooms, according to John Pardalos, chief of the hospital’s NICU.
Brittani Langland, MU senior and executive director of MizzouThon, has formed a bond with the Miracle Kids.
Langland plans to continue to support MizzouThon’s efforts after she graduates.