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As he gears up for his final HuskerThon on Feb. 28, Alex McMurchie, vice president of finance for UNL Dance Marathon, is thinking about more than the huge amount of planning, outreach and fundraising that goes into the event each year.
For him, the ultimate impacts of HuskerThon — raising money for Children’s Nebraska hospital — are what hit closest to home.
“My little cousin has had four open heart surgeries at Children’s Nebraska,” McMurchie said. “Seeing the impact that they’ve had on their family and everything they’ve done for them is truly so special. Children's Nebraska makes such a huge impact on families from all over the world and it's amazing to see the miracles they perform every day”
Inspired by his cousin’s story, McMurchie knew that he wanted to be a part of Dance Marathon when he arrived on campus. The First Year Impact Program made getting started easy.
“The program helps get new students up to speed with what Dance Marathon is all about,” he said. “There are so many roles and opportunities that Dance Marathon offers, so it's a great way to see how it all works and how you can use your talents to make an impact.”
Through Dance Marathon, Huskers raise funds for Children's Nebraska year-round by setting up individual fundraising accounts. During McMurchie's time as a family representative, he spent a lot of time at Children’s Nebraska meeting directly with families impacted by the generosity of our Husker community.
"Seeing all these rooms that say, ‘Generously donated by the University of Nebraska Dance Marathon’ is so inspiring," McMurchie said. "Looking at all the work that’s been done before you motivates you to just keep going and take it even further."
That “just keep going” mentality carries through to HuskerThon itself, an eight-hour event that celebrates families supported by Children’s Nebraska.
“The impacts that we're able to make on the hospital and the families they serve truly make a difference," McMurchie said. "But, even after the event is over, we have to remember that these kids’ fights keep going.”
