Runner Dance Marathon- Live Blog Edition Part 1

Today, I wanted to write about the Opera Scenes that are going to happen on Friday, April 26, 2013 at the Dore Theater at California State University, Bakersfield. However, that is not going to happen until next Friday, and time travel has yet to be invented. Even if it did exist, it might not be student budget- friendly. So a live blog of the Runner Dance Marathon was the logical and student budget-friendly alternative.

While participants write notes of support to children currently hospitalized, other participants take advantage of other activities available.

The Runner DM started 7:00 PM  in the Student Union Building. The Runner DM is being held with the help of CSUB, CSUB Student Union, Panda Express, and CSUB Associated Students Incorporated.

Carmen Nilon, Manager of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, explains that “…dance marathons are programs of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and they happen at universities, large and small.” says Nilon. Nilons also says that, “…there are 178 hospitals that are member hospitals of the Children’s Miracle Network. Bakersfield Memorial Hospital is the only CMN hospital in Kern County.”

100 per cent of the proceeds go the the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center. It is comprised of the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit, the Pediatric department, and the new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The proceeds raised at dance marathon events go towards the purchase of live-saving medical equipment.

Last year vein viewers were purchased. This kind of equipment is necessary because the veins of a child are  a lot smaller compared to an adults, which makes it much more difficult  to find. “Our goal is not to have to send our kids to Los Angeles or Madera.” says Nilon with exclamation.

Caryl Schweitzer, Director of Development at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, says, “last year, CSUB Dance Marathon raised $5,000 in its first year, which is more than the larger schools are raising in their second year.”

I spoke to Rosie Gonzalez, Mother of Michael, who is a year and a  half old. “I work in the emergency room myself,” says Gonzalez.

She told me about when Michael was three months old, he was admitted for 15 days with sepsis, which meant that he had bacteria everywhere already. He was kept on Gentamiacin, a  high-level anti-biotic. Along with this medication, she was also told that Michael would loose his hearing, as is often the case with people who have this kind of antibiotic given to them. At the end of the 15 days his hearing was checked and it came out normal, “… and we were able to take him home.”

“Because of the equipment available here [ at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital], he was able to stay at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and not shipped out of town for medical care” says Gonzalez.

Part Two coming soon

Note: As a matter of full disclosure, I was a participant of the CSUB Dance Marathon.