This weekend, University of Iowa students will do the same in a 24-hour-long dance marathon. This event helps change the lives of Iowa's youngest cancer patients.

University of Iowa dance marathon is one of the largest student-run fund-raisers in the U.S. Hundreds of students raise money - and hope - for cancer patients at University of Iowa Children's Hospital.

From the start, Dance Marathon focuses on young cancer patients and their families. Students raise money for comfort items, including toys, gas and hotel vouchers, and phone cards. They also fund ground-breaking cancer research. The year-long effort culminates this weekend, when students give families a chance to forget about hospitals and doctor visits during a 24-hour marathon of dancing and fun.

"There are some families who need it more than others - and it's really good for them to establish that kind of community. I think that's really a big part of dance marathon is the community between the students and the families," says Erica Doherty, Dance Marathon Family Relations director.

"They have just expressed to us extreme gratitude for being so selfless and for contributing so much to enhancing what could be a really, really desperate situation," says Alison Myers, Dance Marathon executive director. Lorond Frazier has been cancer-free for two years, but he still comes back to Dance Marathon every year. He and his family are thankful for the care they received - and for the support of Dance Marathon students.

"We want to thank everybody who comes out and dances for us because this is a rare occasion. We're really thankful for everything. I mean they helped us a lot throughout the years. So I just want to say thank you - and keep dancing," says Loreen Frazier, Lorond's mother.

Incredibly, University of Iowa students have raised more than $2.8 million since 1995.

This year's Dance Marathon begins Friday at 7 p.m. at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City. You can still donate support Dance Marathon.

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University of Iowa Children's Hospital

Children's Miracle Network

Dance Marathon

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