38 FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
DM @ FSU 2026 raises $ 1.5 million for pediatric health services
By Audrey Post FSU College of Medicine
Dance Marathon at Florida State University celebrated its 31st year of fundraising for pediatric healthcare in the Big Bend and Gainesville areas by doing what it does best— instilling in its participants a passion for helping others, creating lifelong friendships in the process, and raising more money than it did the year before.
This year’ s total of more than $ 1.5 million— $ 1,506,504.67 to be exact— will be equally divided after expenses between Children’ s Miracle Network programs at UF Health Shands Children’ s Hospital in Gainesville and the FSU College of Medicine’ s pediatric outreach programs. Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the college, shared with DM participants a few of the ways DM dollars improve children’ s health and lives locally.
“ FSU PrimaryHealth™ can expand primary and behavioral health care services to children in our community because of you,” she said.“ Your hard work supports services for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome and other Neonatal Intensive Care Unit services through the FSU Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy.”
She also talked about how the college’ s Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases continues to expand and grow, thanks to funding from the Florida Legislature, with new programs that enhance the services DM supports.
“ We have opened a Precision Pediatrics Clinic and within weeks, we will begin whole genome screening of newborns,” Littles said.“ The director of our Genetics Counseling degree program begins work tomorrow, and we plan to admit the first students to that program next year.”
The College of Medicine funds many of its outreach programs through grants to providers such as Big Bend Hospice, which provides grief counseling to children who have lost a loved one. Bond Community Health Center was able to repair and upgrade its mobile health unit, allowing it to meet patients’ needs where they are, in their communities.
Through grants to the Tallahassee Memorial Health- Care Foundation, DM funds were used to buy specialized and costly incubators that serve as a protective shield for premature newborns.
“ For a baby born early, the world is too loud, too bright and too cold,” Nigel Allen, president and chief advancement officer for the TMH Foundation, explained.“ These incubators create a quiet, filtered and pressurized space where a preemie can focus 100 % of their energy on growing, rather than fighting off the outside environment.
“ Every time a family leaves our hospital with a healthy baby, Dance Marathon is a silent partner in that success,” he said.“ We continue to be so grateful for the passion Dance Marathon participants bring to this mission!”
Closing ceremonies, held the first Sunday in March each year at FSU’ s Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, are always emotional. This year was no different.