Up ‘Til Dawn continues to make a difference in the lives of children by placing second in the nation in a fundrasing contest for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over the summer.
The contest ended July 1 and awarded the top two fundraising executive boards in the nation a free trip to Memphis, Tennessee, to attend the Up ‘Til Dawn College Leadership Conference and tour the hospital.
ULM’s Up ‘Til Dawn executive board raised almost $9,000 over a span of two months.
Karly Hubbard, senior mass communications major and executive director of the board, was proud of the board’s accomplishments.
“Knowing that we made a difference in a child’s life is the best feeling in the world,” Hubbard said.
Hubbard called CLS a life changing experience.
“No family pays for anything at St. Jude, so touring the hospital motivated me to raise even more money and awareness,” Hubbard said.
The Up ‘Til Dawn Executive Board was also awarded a five hundred dollar gift card for the raising the most money in one week.
Ashton Mason, sophomore secondary education major and education and admissions chair, found their achievements exciting.
“We each wanted to make our personal goals,” Mason said.
St. Jude puts on CLS every year for Up ‘Til Dawn organizations around the country. Mason got involved with Up ‘Til Dawn for personal reasons – her cousin’s own battle with cancer.
“My little cousin Brody is four years old and in November he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, which is an aggressive cancer found in children,” Mason said.
While not treated in a St. Jude facility, thanks to their research Mason’s cousin is now 100 percent cancer free. Mason wants to continue supporting St. Jude, and stop children’s cancer entirely.
“Before we went to St. Jude I never imagined how much of an impact five dollars makes there but it really does, every penny counts there,” Mason said.
Mason believes Up ‘Til Dawn allows students to get involved in something bigger. She enjoyed touring the hospital and said it was like Disney World.
“There’s colors everywhere. Clouds are painted on the ceilings because some of the kids don’t get to go outside and see them. There are fish tanks, interactive boards, wagons instead of wheelchairs. It’s just a happy place,” Mason said.
Students can get involved by joining a team or forming one to raise money. Up ‘Til Dawn hosts events year round for fundraising.
“One person, or even a small group, can make such a big difference in someone’s life. I can do something big that I didn’t think I could. No one is too small to help St. Jude, and no one is too big to help St. Jude,” Mason said.
They had the opportunity to sit in on patient panels and listen to the survivors tell their story. One particular patient was a 7-year-old boy named Tyler, who wants to own a video game and pet store when he grows up.
“When they asked him if he wanted it in the same store he said ‘yeah it’s going be a video game pet store.’ Just being able to see that each dollar we raise goes towards helping Tyler live an extra day so that he can reach those dreams is amazing,” Mason said.
Mason said the people of St. Jude are grateful of any efforts to help raise money and awareness. It all goes towards helping the children get better and feel comfortable.
The children love the painted clouds on the hospital ceiling becase they don’t get to see real clouds everyday.
Hubbard hopes to continue working with St. Jude, and providing for those that cannot.
“I will not stop raising money or awareness until no child dies from childhood cancer or catastrophic diseases,” Hubbard said.
