This past Saturday, I participated in a 12 hour dance marathon called BobcaThon on Ohio University's campus. This event raises money for Ronald McDonald House Charities. This charity is incredibly close to my heart. When I was a baby, I underwent a liver transplant at the University of Chicago.

Being from Ohio, my family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Chicago during my long hospitalization. To this day, I still have to stay at the Ronald McDonald House from time to time when I have to return to Chicago for checkups or worse, hiccups. It felt amazing to give back to an organization that has and continues to affect me and my family personally.

In between the fun and the music and the dancing, we got to hear testimonies from several families that have had to stay at an RMH. These were families that I see and talk to every time I myself am sick. These were families that I shared an elevator with, and ate dinner with. I found myself getting chills hearing the stories from these parents. I thought about my mom and how many times she and I have told our story.

I realized exactly why I was there: to give other families the advantages that I was given. When I saw the final total of how much BobcaThon raised over the past year ($74,865.97 to be exact), I felt the emotion that the BobcaThon leadership team was feeling. Everyone on that team was crying and hugging and rejoicing. It was so moving to see the passion that they have for this cause. It made me proud to be there dancing and raising money For The Kids, ones that were just like me.

#FTK