Students at U of I Raise Over $100,000 for HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital

A year of student-led fundraising recently culminated in a high-energy, 10-hour “no-sitting” dance marathon, where the largest student-run philanthropic organization at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced it had raised $102,010.13 for HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital.

Founded in 2007, IlliniThon sponsors events throughout the year – such as a 5K race, auctions, trivia nights and more – to increase community engagement and raise funds for St. John’s Children’s Hospital, the local Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospital. CMN is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for 170 children's hospitals across the United States and Canada. IlliniThon joined more than 400 campuses across the United States in participating in CMN’s dance marathon.

This year’s total marked an achievement for IlliniThon, since it was the first time since 2019 to reach its goal of $100,000. The funds will go toward the Children’s Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU is the only Level III NICU in an 80-mile radius of Springfield, including 45 counties, and cares for 850 premature or critically ill newborns each year.