UGA Miracle at the University of Georgia Receives 2024 Ryan White Award for Overcoming Adversity

Miracle Network Dance Marathon recognized top performing Dance Marathon programs at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ Ignite: Peer-to-Peer Leadership Conference held in Kansas City, MO from July 18-21.  

Congratulations to UGA Miracle at the University of Georgia for winning the 2024 Ryan White Award for Overcoming Adversity. Ryan White is a hero for his lasting legacy of overcoming adversity and using it to make a positive impact on the world. The Ryan White Award for Overcoming Adversity is presented to a program whose experience in overcoming a significant obstacle best exemplifies Ryan’s spirit and perseverance in the face of adversity. 

After months of planning, nobody could have imagined that UGA Miracle may have to cancel their Dance Marathon event. But this scenario became reality when their community suffered an unimaginable tragedy days before. UGA encountered two separate student deaths in a matter of days that rocked their campus and Greek Life communities. Classes and all other campus events were canceled the day before their Marathon. They were faced with the decision: Do we cancel our Dance Marathon, or do we move forward? After long discussions considering the well-being of the community, UGA Miracle decided to use their event as a positive space for all students to be together during such a difficult time.  

It became a priority to relieve pressure from the event for members. Several programming changes were made to ensure the space was as welcoming as possible to those who decided to attend during hard times. Any student could attend the event and register for Donor Drive free of charge, and they were offered the same experience as registered participants. A “relaxation room” was originally a fundraising incentive but became a quiet haven to be in during the weekend. They supported internal teams by allowing them to contribute as much as they felt comfortable with, leaning on others to assist in their duties until they felt okay.  

Students came to the event seeking community during this hardship, but the numbers indicate that they found so much more. Despite the circumstances, UGA Miracle raised over $195,000 in-event, and increased their year over year total. This was due to year-long preparation and fundraising education for their members. Everyone felt the love and camaraderie of the organization and genuinely felt excited to raise money due to the environment and community that was present at the main event. Members showed up and poured their hearts out in the face of adversity. 

Congratulations to UGA Miracle at the University of Georgia – the 2024 Ryan White Award for Overcoming Adversity honoree! 

Miracle Network Dance Marathon is a national movement, involving over 400 colleges, universities and K-12 schools across the United States that fundraise for their local member hospital of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Students involved in a campus’s dance marathon organization spend a year gaining leadership, teamwork, and nonprofit business experience while raising funds and awareness for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. The year culminates with a final dance marathon event on each campus, where students get to meet patient families treated at their local hospital, participate in games and dancing, enjoy entertainment, and reveal their annual fundraising total. Miracle Network Dance Marathon programs have collectively raised more than $350 million since 1991.