Our Dancing In Our Hearts Families - Purdue University Dance Marathon

What is a Dancing In Our Heart Family?

Jack Klein

Jack was a happy and fun-loving kid whose smile lit up every room he walked into. After his diagnosis of Burkitt’s lymphoma in 2015, he was treated at Riley and eventually received five rounds of intense chemotherapy. Throughout all of his scans, inpatient stays, tests, and long hospital visits, child life specialists made Jack’s experience less scary. Although his initial response to all of these treatments seemed positive, Jack unfortunately relapsed soon after. Jack’s family took him to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in New York for a clinical trial, which he initially responded well to. However, his cancer progressed rapidly, reaching a point where treatment was no longer effective. Jack and his family returned to Riley, where he passed away at 10 years old. The story of Jack's kind heart lives on– his bravery has inspired countless people to pursue small acts of kindness in his honor. “Jack’s Pack”, a community of his friends and family that rose in his support, will always have his back.

Maddy Justice

At 13 years old, Madeline “Maddy” Justice received a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at Riley. She decided to spend each following day fighting with a smile on her face in honor of her grandmother, who also fought cancer. After her diagnosis, Maddy spent a lot of time at Riley, receiving a stem cell transplant from her sister and enrolling in a clinical trial for AML. She bravely endured 11 rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and several other painful procedures before the end of her battle at 15 years old. Maddy’s motto “Keep on Smiling” is remembered by countless nurses and doctors at Riley, who recall Maddy’s genuine fighting spirit and positive attitude.

Molly Widner

Molly selflessly battled liver cancer for nearly two years just as she was about to graduate high school. She had always hoped to enroll at Purdue and, as an animal lover, chased her dreams in veterinary medicine. After her diagnosis, however, her interest in pediatric oncology grew, and she was even considering working in both fields. Molly was a dedicated student who loved helping others. In the midst of her own battle with cancer, she mentored other children with cancer, inspiring them to keep fighting. Molly’s passions for fashion and softball were a testament to her bright personality, and she left a truly positive mark on those around her.

Christian Sweeney

An incredibly involved student at Purdue, Christian was a sophomore pursuing a degree in Nuclear Engineering when he was diagnosed with a rare nasopharyngeal cancer. He took a short break from school to receive chemo and radiation, but he was determined to come back to school and continued chasing his dreams. Christian was an incredibly hard worker– he made the Dean’s List every semester and did not ask for special treatment due to his illness. After juggling classes, immunotherapy, and PET scans, Christian graduated with his degree, was offered his dream job, and spent some time traveling the world. He passed away six years after his diagnosis but spent every minute fighting to live life to the fullest.