Hi! I’m Kieran O’Connor and I am a sophomore Middle School Math and Science Education major at University of Maryland. I have always been For The Kids and even applied to Maryland because of the amazing Miracle Network Dance Marathon program already in place here! However, this past semester my Why was altered.
I spent about a month and a half in the hospital this past semester over a 3 month period. From the adenovirus, to pancreatitis, to developing recurring neurological symptoms, I was exposed to much medical jargon, but I was also exposed to a lot of worry, loneliness, and confusion. Don’t get me wrong, my nurses were extraordinary and very kind, but it was hard to not feel down when the universe has stacked things against you.
One thing that continuously came to my mind, though, was how our Miracle Kids must feel. I am 19 years old with much more development and cognitive reasoning on my side, a 10 year old like my home girl Brooke would probably think of the situation very differently than I was. And that’s when my Why changed.
Terp Thon fundraises for more than just medical jargon. We fundraise for kids to be kids. We fundraise for packs of Uno cards, for smiley face stress balls, for arts and crafts and SO MUCH MORE! Terp Thon reminds the patients at Children’s National that childhood and fun can still exist.