Impact

BUCKEYETHON

Making Miracles. That’s the mantra of BuckeyeThon, Ohio's largest student-run philanthropy organization for the children and families in the Hematology, Oncology, & Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. BuckeyeThon’s Team Members participate, advocate, and fundraise for the Hematology, Oncology, & Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Team Members culminate their year at a 12-hour Dance Marathon in the Ohio Union. This annual celebration is filled with music, games, and a red carpet for the BuckeyeThon Kids, those who have been treated for pediatric illnesses at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, to run down while thousands of students cheer them on. At the end of the Dance Marathon, students unveil the total amount raised throughout the year and 100% of that number is donated to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Over the past 21 years, BuckeyeThon has donated over $14.3 million and will not stop until there is a cure for pediatric cancer and blood disorders. This year, BuckeyeThon is once again committed to raising Millions of Miracles for the kids at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

See How BuckeyeThon Impacts our Community 

The Student

Most undergraduate students would run away from the idea of volunteering 40 hours a week of their time on top of classes, studying and other student activities – but not Deep Gupta. Deep often spent weekends at the James Cancer Hospital with his father, a medical physicist, before heading to OSU football games, and his sister Nimi had participated in Dance Marathon during her undergrad years. For Deep, enrolling at Ohio State and joining BuckeyeThon were clear choices. Read more here.

The Superhero

What started out as leg pains preventing a two-year-old from being an active little boy quickly turned into a daunting diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Aiden was quickly taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where he started his treatment, and seven days following his initial chemo treatment – Christmas Day – Aiden’s family was told there was no disease to be seen. When Aiden is asked what his superpower is, he says “fighting cancer!” and he did just that and more along his journey. Read more here. 

The Doctor

There’s something particularly inspiring about the Dance Marathon marking the conclusion of BuckeyeThon, Ohio State’s student-driven fundraiser for kids with cancer and blood disorders. Even the doctors leave feeling rejuvenated. Read more here.

The Survivor

Avalon was just 17 months old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This diagnosis transformed her and her family's lives. In 2005, her family became a Miracle Family for BuckeyeThon, which quickly became family to the Havans. Avalon's sisters joined the cause at Ohio State, and she has quickly followed in their footsteps, giving back to the organization that has given her family so much. Read more here.