From bottom left, clockwise, Tulane students Danielle Merseles, Ariel Cummins, Lizzie Diamond and Jenny Smith work on a poster to promote the dance marathon that will benefit Chidren's Hospital.

Jenny Smith, a Tulane University junior in theater and French, has been attending and working dance marathons since she was 4 years old, when her brother, Cory, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3. Cory was treated at Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania, where he received help through the Penn State Dance Marathon. Now a sophomore at Penn State University, Cory is cured of leukemia.

Ever since she came to Tulane, Smith's dream has been to start a marathon here. Although that dream was delayed due to Hurricane Katrina, now Smith has pulled together a group of dedicated Tulane students who are bringing the dream to reality.

Tulane students will be helping sick New Orleans children and their families by staging the first Tulane Dance Marathon on March 2 and 3. The students will dance for 24 hours without sleeping or sitting to raise money for New Orleans Children's Hospital through the Children's Miracle Network.

Tulane is the first university in Louisiana to hold a Children's Miracle Network Dance Marathon, Smith says. This event is patterned after similar dance marathons at major colleges and universities across the nation, including Penn State University, Texas A & M, the University of Texas and the University of Florida.

Since she was 4, Jenny Smith participated in dance marathons, motivated by her brother, Cory, who had leukemia.

After moving to Iowa in 1994, Smith and her family were involved in helping the University of Iowa Dance Marathon get started. Jenny was a speaker, performer and all-around assistant at that event from 1995 through 2004.

Children's Miracle Network is an alliance of 170 children's hospitals. Every year, these hospitals treat 17 million children.

An executive committee is currently recruiting dancers and volunteers to help stage the event -- from registration to serving a pancake breakfast to weary participants who have stayed on their feet through the night. The committee also is looking for bands, acts and other types of entertainment that will keep the dancers going for 24 hours.

Area restaurants and bands that have confirmed participation in the dance marathon so far include Frescos, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, Roman Pizza, Hot 8, the Vieux Carre Band and Glasgow.

"We have many more who have expressed interest, but have not been confirmed as of yet," Smith says.

Students will compete as individuals or in teams -- either from organizations or groups of friends. There is a $25 registration fee for each entrant. Each participant is expected to raise at least $100, and prizes will be awarded to dancers and organizations that raise the most.

"It's good to have your own support group to lean on when you get tired," Smith says from her own experience. "When it comes to early morning and the sun comes up, you realize how long you've been on your feet and how tired you are."

Smith says some of the pediatric patients from Children's Hospital and their families will attend the dance marathon.

"That's the best motivation we could ask for," says Smith. "This new student-run philanthropy gives emotional and financial support to children being treated at Children's Hospital as well as their families. We intend for the spirit of the dance marathon event to last the whole year long."

In addition to the dance marathon, Smith says the new student organization also sponsors smaller events throughout the year for families of patients at Children's Hospital. On Valentine's Day a group of Tulane students made valentines and played bingo at the pediatric hospital.

Money raised by the dance marathon will go to the areas of greatest need at Children's Hospital, which could include paying the medical bills of uninsured families, new medical technology or research.

For more information, to donate or to volunteer go to www.tulane.edu/~tudm.