The event began Saturday at 11 a.m. and lasted 20 hours, ending 8 a.m. Sunday. More than 1,100 students attended and helped UCF go from the 12th largest Miracle Network dance marathon in the nation to the 7th largest. Knight-thon exceeded its goal of $500,000 and became the sixth largest amount raised this year across all children 麻豆精品 S檚 Miracle Network dance marathons.

麻豆精品 S淚 am absolutely speechless, 麻豆精品 S� said Drew Strochak, Knight-Thon director. 麻豆精品 S淥ver 1,000 students came together for one cause, and truly created a legacy for Knight-thon. Every penny of what we raised goes to the hospitals, and I am so proud to be a part of that. 麻豆精品 S�

Knight-Thon increased its annual donation by 57 percent from last year 麻豆精品 S檚 $392,831, and has now raised more than $1.8 million for UF Health Shands Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Hospital, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Neonatal Care Unit of Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

For information on how to get involved with Knight-Thon, visit .

麻豆精品 S淭he chances that I would survive were not in my favor, 麻豆精品 S� Hixon said.

The next 2陆 years were a whirlwind of chemotherapy, spinal taps and other procedures at a South Florida children 麻豆精品 S檚 hospital. Fortunately, Hixon 麻豆精品 S檚 story has a happy ending. He is expected to graduate from the University of Central Florida in May, and in November will celebrate 15 years with his cancer in remission.

UCF student Chris Hixon, who survived childhood cancer, will participate in Knight-Thon to raise money for children’s hospitals.

Next weekend, he 麻豆精品 S檒l be on his feet for 20 straight hours as part of Knight-Thon 2015, the UCF dance marathon that raises money for Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Miracle Network Hospitals. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the biggest student-run fundraising event at UCF, and this year is bigger than ever, with a bigger venue at the CFE Arena and a bigger goal of raising $500,000.

The money collected is split between two Greater Orlando Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Miracle Network Hospitals: Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and UF Health Shands Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Hospital. Together, those hospitals treat more than 250,000 children a year for ailments like cancer, AIDS, birth defects, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, kidney and heart disease, in addition to accident victims and those in need of organ transplants.

It 麻豆精品 S檚 with those 麻豆精品 S淢iracle Children 麻豆精品 S� that Hixon, Knight-Thon 麻豆精品 S檚 event operations director, feels a special connection.

麻豆精品 S淚 can relate to them on a different level. I 麻豆精品 S檝e been there 麻豆精品 S� I 麻豆精品 S檝e lived in a hospital, I know what it 麻豆精品 S檚 like, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淭here were times I was very scared, but because of the caring doctors and all the people by my side, I never felt alone. 麻豆精品 S�

Knight-Thon culminates nearly a year of smaller events and fund-raising by Greek organizations, clubs, offices and departments. More than 1,000 Knights from more than 70 organizations are expected to participate at the dance marathon.

It is Knight-Thon 麻豆精品 S檚 19th year, and it 麻豆精品 S檚 grown rapidly over the past several years. In 2011, the event raised $84,640. In 2012, it climbed to $118,972. In 2013, it more than doubled to $258,554, and last year saw another big jump: $392,831.

麻豆精品 S淲e were extremely ambitious with this goal, but I have a lot of confidence in the UCF student body, 麻豆精品 S� student director Drew Strochak said. 麻豆精品 S淭he amazing thing about Children’s Miracle Network is that most of the money is raised $1 at a time. 麻豆精品 S�

It 麻豆精品 S檚 a long time to remain standing, but participants will get inspiration from Miracle Children and their families who will take the stage to share their personal stories.

麻豆精品 S淵ou realize that although your feet may hurt, it 麻豆精品 S檚 nothing compared to what these kids go through every single day, 麻豆精品 S� Hixon said.

(And if they raise enough money, participants can earn perks like a pass to sit down for five minutes, a massage or even a shower.)

Hixon knows the money raised will lead to new treatments, and hopefully, cures.

麻豆精品 S淯ntil that time comes, 麻豆精品 S� he said, 麻豆精品 S渨e 麻豆精品 S檙e going to keep dancing. 麻豆精品 S�

Knight-Thon starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, and ends at 8 a.m. the next day, at CFE Arena. It includes activities, food, free merchandise and entertainment throughout the day. For more information, visit the event 麻豆精品 S檚 and