Shirley Gelman, Congregation B’nai Amoona

Shirley Gelman loves to dance. So what better way to share her love of dance then to invite her friends and family to her first Dancers Against Childhood Cancer Dance-a-Thon?

Daughter of Mercedes and Miguel Gelman of Frontenac, Shirley raised funds and collected items to benefit cancer patients at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The Dance-a-Thon was in honor of her friend Clare Blasé and in memory of her great-aunt Shirley Abramovici.

Last year, 13- year-old Clare, a fellow dancer at Charmette Academy of Dance, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Adrenal cancer. Since then, she has undergone surgery to remove a tumor and eight cycles of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, Great-aunt Shirley lost her battle with Leukemia at the very young age of 13.

The Dance-a-Thon was held last June at the JCC and over 120 people participated, ranging in age from two to 70. Different styles of dancing were taught: Zumba, hip-hop, pop and Israeli, all with great dance instructors. “This was a fun event in which people of all ages danced for a maximum of three hours,” said Shirley. Participants sought out sponsors to support their efforts in any way, whether a monetary donation or an item to donate to the cancer patients. Even my own daughter, Rachel, attended and had a great time. She said the music was good; lots of excitement, and everyone had a great time.

Shirley’s Dance-a-Thon was a huge success, collecting over $3,250. She donated it all to the chemotherapy unit at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Many different items were collected including a Wii console, $190 in gift cards, 155 books, and 29 stuffed animals and dolls. They were also donated to the chemotherapy unit to help the children withstand the long hours of treatment. “It takes their mind off their suffering, offering them a way to feel like a kid and not just a patient,” said Shirley’s mother.

A student at Ladue Middle School, Shirley said, “It was an incredible project and the support of the community was overwhelmingly strong. We feel so lucky to belong to a community where people are so caring and supportive. I feel that this project has influenced other people in my community to take a stand and represent something they have a connection with and want to improve. Clare has had such a great influence on my life and this Dance-a-thon could express my appreciation towards her. This is something others can do, too. I think I have opened a new window to the world of standing up for what has touched you emotionally and doing something physically about it and, of course, I chose our favorite thing, dance!

“People were very touched by this project to this day. Almost nine months after it took place, people are still asking me and my mom, at the J, synagogue, etc. about Clare and always remembering what an amazing event the dance-a-thon was,” Shirley added.

As for Clare, she is doing great. She has resumed her normal activities, including dance and is competing with the Charmette Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company. She is truly an inspiration for all of her friends, demonstrating that perseverance and good attitude can take you far.

Mitzvot from the Heart is compiled by Editorial Assistant Elise Krug. Contact her at [email protected] or 314-743-3671.