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Alumni Newsletter UGA Miracle

Alumni Spotlight:

Trey Bryant Trey began his story with UGA Miracle in 2009 by joining the Hospital Relations committee his freshman year. His sophomore year, he took a leap of faith by applying to the Executive Board and was selected as a Recruitment Co-Chair. The following year, Trey served as a Family Relations Co-Chair and was named Executive Director his senior year. When asked about how UGA Miracle impacted him, Trey said, “it was everyone coming together to champion our Miracle families and raise every penny possible for the kids. It is very rare in life to find a community like that, and I hope one day to work with a team that was half as dedicated.” Since graduation, Trey has been hard at work

pursuing a Masters of Public Health Administration at the University of North Carolina.

Through his studies at UGA and involvement with UGA Miracle and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Trey has found a career path full of passion and opportunity to make a difference. In recent news, Trey has accepted a position in a two-year Administrative

Fellowship program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center starting Summer 2015. Trey recalled, “During my Dance Marathon days, the kids and their courage inspired me to break outside of my comfort zone and pursue leadership in the organization that changed my life. Now, as an emerging healthcare professional, I carry with me the stories, skills, and lessons I learned from Miracle to motivate me the same way they motivated me to raise money, dance all night, and work countless hours while at UGA.”

Vanderbilt sure is lucky to have you, Trey! The entire UGA Miracle family is cheering you on from Athens.

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In This Issue… 2 Event Recaps 3 Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dare: A Look Back 4 Thanksgiving Hospital Visit Story 5 Make the Holidays Count, For the Kids 6 Alumni Mentorship Program Updates 7 Alumni Patient Party Recap 8 New Miracle Family Bios

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Event Recaps UGA Miracle’s events are more successful than

ever! A big thanks to our alumni who started some of our favorite traditions and inspired us to create

some new ones!

Trunk or Treat The Family Relations committee hosted a new family day at the Varsity in celebration of Halloween! Each committee came in costume and hosted a festive activity for our Miracle families (and families in the Athens community) to enjoy. We bobbed for apples, played limbo, had our faces painted, and of course, at lots of candy!

Philanthropy Phormal Members of UGA Miracle, Relay for Life, and UGA Heroes banded together to break the competitive stigma and celebrate the achievements of each organization and its impact on UGA’s campus. VP of Student Affairs, Dr. Victor Wilson was the keynote speaker for this fantastic event at the Classic Center.

Miracle at Midnight In celebration of our 20th year on campus, we kicked it back 20 years to 1994 for this year’s Miracle at Midnight at the 40 Watt Club. We celebrated 100 days until Dance Marathon with a 90’s themed rave, performances from the UGA Junkyard Dawgz breakdancing team, and the UGA Dance team and a sorority dance-off

Classic City Tour of Homes The historic and beautifully decorated mansions on Milledge Avenue opened their doors to the public for our annual holiday event. More than 600 guests enjoyed a sunny day walking between sorority houses, holiday shopping at vendors, and participating in the silent auction. Adding to the fun, Phi Mu hosted a family day full of holiday crafts for our Miracle kids while their parents

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Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dare 5k: A Look Back on a Growing Tradition

As you heard in last season’s newsletter, UGA Miracle is celebrating its 20th year on campus through its year-long theme of “Glory, Glory to Their Story.” So instead of just telling you about upcoming events, the Alumni Connection wants you to know the story behind those events– the vision, the hard work, the original masterminds who built these events into the successes they are today. This upcoming January, UGA Miracle will host its third annual Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dare 5k. The Alumni Connection went back to the pioneers of this event, Elyse Tremble and Robert Knotts, to get the full story on how it all began. Who came up with the idea of Doughnut Dare? How was this event born? Elyse: This idea actually came from the Krispy Kreme Challenge in North Carolina, but we had noticed the success and we wanted to try and see if this is something that would be successful in Athens. Bobby: Elyse Tremble. Plain and simple. I remember my first year on Exec as one of the Recruitment Co-Chairs and our fearless Mochas (Cole Phillips and Brittany Anderson) told us about how Elyse came to them with the idea and that it was going to be an event organized and executed by the Morale Committee. Yes, it is true that the idea came from North Carolina, but it was Elyse who researched and discovered the race in the first place. Do you have a favorite memory from the event? Elyse: My favorite memory was from the first Doughnut Dare. We had absolutely miserable weather, it was pouring rain in January, so it was also freezing cold. Even though it was bad weather, people were still enthusiastic about the race and said they had a blast. I'll never forget how miserable everyone looked eating those doughnuts in the pouring rain, It was just hilarious. Bobby: Standing at the starting line and looking out over the crowd and thinking that there were way more people there than I had expected. Knowing that others care about a cause or an event that you put so much time and effort into is an incredible feeling. What was the most challenging part of the event? Elyse: Convincing people that it's not crazy to eat 10 doughnuts in the middle of a 5K!

Bobby: Dealing with the fact that no matter how hard we tried, something was bound to go wrong on the day of the even and there was really nothing we could do about it. If I remember correctly, something happened where our road markers/arrows weren't set up properly and someone ended up running in the complete wrong direction. You obviously want everything to go off without a hitch, but that's just not the reality we live in. Is there anything else you'd like to add about Doughnut Dare? Elyse: We could never have pulled off the event the first two years without the help of our fantastic executive board leaders, our local Krispy Kreme in Athens and our incredible Morale Committee!! Bobby: Elyse pretty much nailed this on the head. I am grateful to have been apart of this event and cannot tell you how happy it makes me to know that the Doughnut Dare is becoming a staple in Miracle's fun-raising efforts.

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On Thanksgiving Day, we had the privilege of serving lunch to the families at Scottish Rite. We were surrounded by kids, parents, and siblings as they gathered in the gym of the CIRU on a holiday most families would spend at home. It was an abrupt reminder that, while we felt too tired to tackle the final exams ahead of us, life for hospital staff and patients doesn’t take breaks. It is easy to say that we know this concept, but getting to be a part of it was altogether different. Some of us missed parts of our Thanksgiving traditions while others brought their families to the CIRU to get a first-hand look at the miracles we work with every day; but we all had somewhere beyond the hospital to relax and spend the rest of our holiday weekend before heading back to school. However, a break did not exist for the families in front of us. These kids were anxious to take one more step, learn one more skill, and conquer one more obstacle on the fight toward whatever recovery they were facing. Their parents were fighting exhausting emotional battles that I hope we never have to know for ourselves. Their siblings developed a second home in the hospital and would bravely remain by their brother or sister’s side regardless of the time of year. There is never a dull moment when we visit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, but getting to bring a “normal” celebration to a place where there are abnormal and extraordinary celebrations of strength and relentless

work every day was something I will always be thankful to be a part of. This Thanksgiving was one of many times I have entered the hospital thinking I will brighten someone else’s day, and have left with a bigger smile of my own and an overwhelming sense of appreciation for our favorite hospital, patients and families.

Thanksgiving Lunch at

-Lainie Hyman, Hospital Relations Co-Chair

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When you think of the holidays, what do you imagine? Perhaps the smell of your favorite home cooked meals, the warmth of a crackling fire, or the dazzling arrays of lights wrapping every roof, street light, or staircase you see. During the holidays, we remember all of the things for which we are thankful for, especially our good health and the ones we love. This holiday season, let us remember the cause that captured all of our hearts from the beginning, the cause that impacted you so deeply that you remain a dedicated, passionate alumnus. UGA Miracle is the largest annual donor to the Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Children’s Scottish Rite. The CIRU relies on UGA Miracle to continue funding its life-saving equipment, training programs and research. It costs $2.5 million a day to operate Children’s and no child is ever turned away. As you prepare to enjoy all the wonderful things about this time of year, remember those who will not be at home unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning or eating dinner with their family at the table. As we relax and take a break from our busy lives, the patients and staff at the CIRU do not. Their therapy sessions do not stop, their treatments do not stop. No matter what, they keep fighting for their lives. Let us join the fight this holiday season and put our money where the true miracles are– Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. As 2014 draws to a close, please consider donating to Children’s. Many employers are eager to match your donation dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact! Kindly visit www.helpmakemiracles.org and search “UGA Miracle Dance Marathon 2015” to continue making miracles.

Put Your Money Where the Miracles

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Alumni Mentorship Program The Miracle Mentorship Program is well underway! We have a fantastic turnout of UGA Miracle alumni from

all across the country ready to keep investing in Miracle Makers’ lives. The Alumni Connection strongly believes in the value of this program and its potential to impact those for years to come! Here’s an update on

the program thus far:

Mentors Mentees

“Honestly, the mentorship program for alumni and current miracle members is something that I truly believe encompasses the essence of this wonderful organization. Sometimes it's difficult to stay connected to the organization; I believe this mentorship is a way to not only channel our love for this organization but to also continue pouring into students. I couldn't be more excited to still have a place in this organization even after graduating!”

-Kate Anna Akins, Alumni Mentor

“The Alumni Mentorship program has been an incredible addition to Miracle this year and has served as a great opportunity to provide guidance to the upperclassmen in Miracle. I've loved being connected to Miracle Alumni to learn from their experiences and stories from their time within our organization, as well as benefitting from their advice for life after graduation.”

-Lucy Dabney, Mentee

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We could not have asked for a better turnout at the first ever Alumni Patient Party! Alumni from 2009 all the way to last spring’s graduates came together at the place that captured their hearts from the very beginning— Scottish Rite Hospital. One group of alums spread some cheer to the patients upstairs in the CIRU (they even got to witness Disney music therapy!) while another group played video games and made crafts with patients downstairs in The Zone. “Being back at Children’s with past and present UGA Miracle members was so special,” said alumna

Jenny Grifenhagen (pictured). “Children’s has helped shape each of our lives in its own unique way. Having the opportunity to share the magic with other alumni was such a cool experience. I’d encourage everyone who is still interested in being a part of Miracle to attend an alumni event!” Be on the lookout for more information on the next Alumni Patient Party!

Alumni Patient Party

Meet Our New Families

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This year, UGA Miracle is privileged to champion 64 Miracle families! This means that from Dance Marathon 2014 until now, our organization has welcomed 17 new families. Check out the stories below to learn more about some of the newest additions to the

UGA Miracle family!

Nicholas started showing signs of seizures around the age of four. By age six, he had been diagnosed with complex partial

seizures. Surgery was done in December of 2010 to remove a growth of abnormal cells in his brain that could possibly have been causing the seizures. However, just one year later, the

seizures started to return and in December of 2013, after trying different combinations of many medications, the

decision was made to surgically remove more brain tissue. The surgery was successfully done at Children’s Healthcare at

Egleston, but Nicholas suffered a stroke during recovery and lost movement of the right side of his body and the ability to

speak. After going through rehab at the CIRU and the day rehab unit, Nicholas was able to begin sixth grade right on

schedule this past August. He is on his school’s honor roll and also plays the drums and bells in the band! He has made an

exceptional recovery and continues to improve every day, but the best news of all is that Nicholas is seizure-free!

Nicholas Price

Isabelle, Gracie and Emma Slade (aka “The Triplets”)

Isabelle, Gracie, and Emma were born prematurely at just over 25 weeks on September 4, 2011. Their birth weights were 1 lb. 14 oz., 1 lb. 6 oz., and 1lb. 2oz., respectively. All three faced health complications after birth and stayed in the NICU for more than 3 months at the hospital in Columbus, GA. At birth, Isabelle was born with a brain bleed and continues receiving treatment at Egelston for the associated side effects. She was also transported to Children’s at Egelston for eye surgery and continues treatment at Emory. Gracie was also treated at Egelston for her hernia surgery. Emma, though born the smallest, faced the least health complications and fortunately never had to visit Atlanta for treatment. After nearly three years of surgeries and doctor’s visits, all three triplets are doing great and are cute as can be!