Patient, doctor, students and business professionals kick up their heals to benefit Cancer Center

10-04-2019 (Akron, Ohio )

Well-known business and community leaders and University of Akron dance students will join 10-year-old cancer patient Kylie Jacobs and her Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist Dr. Megan Sampson at Akron Children’s on the Akron Civic Theatre stage Oct. 18 for the 8^th annual Dancing for the Kids fundraiser.

The event is spearheaded by the Akron Children’s Emerging Leaders, a group of volunteer young professionals who focus on fundraising for Akron Children’s. Last year’s Dancing for the Kids raised more than $200,000. Hosted by Keith Kennedy from KDD’s 98.1 morning show, this year’s performance will raise money for patient and family services at the Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Dancing for the Kids pairs participants with students at the University of Akron’s Dance Program, who choreograph the routine. This year’s teams include:

• Eileen Alfonso Benson, representing the Women’s Board of Akron Children’s and director of new member development at Fairlawn Country Club, and Abigail Boenig-Dombek, a junior from Akron
• Eileen V. Brown, senior manager of Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, and Alexis Hartung, a sophomore from Akron
• Tracy Dowe, vice president-relationship manager at Wells Fargo, and Natalie Minns, a junior from Cuyahoga Falls
• Kylie Jacobs, a 10-year-old cancer patient at Akron Children’s, and Tiffany Campbell, a senior from Findlay
• Christine Norman, retail operations specialist at Giant Eagle, and Skyler Bortz, a senior from Colorado
• Jill Penrose, vice president of human resources at The J.M. Smucker Co., and Amanda Kindt, a senior from Pennsylvania
• Dr. Megan Sampson, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Akron Children’s, and Chloe Redman, a sophomore from Akron
• Maureen Thune, vice president and chief procurement officer at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Mckenna Biss, a senior from Akron
• Bill Vasilatos, logistics planner, fleet support at FedEx Custom Critical, and Lydia Marshall, a junior from Akron

Judges award trophies to the top-rated dancing and fundraising teams. Judges for the event include Vish Bhatt, operations manager for the Showers Family Center at Akron Children’s; Justin Hilton, senior administrator, community outreach at Kent State University; and Sarah Adams, MD, an Akron Children’s Pediatrics provider.

The evening also highlights a performance by Dance Unlimited, a dance troupe at Akron Children’s designed especially for kids with special needs, and Creative Motion Studios, a dance studio in Bath Township.

For more information about tickets or to donate to a dancing team, go to https://giving.akronchildrens.org/site/Ticketing?view=Tickets&id=100482