Florida Statement, More Than Medicine: Recap

On November 5th and 6th, DM at FSU came together for our 11th Annual Florida Statement: More Than Medicine, our largest fundraising push of the fall semester. For 26.2 hours, all participants fundraised, shared stories, and participated in programming. We began Statement on Wednesday in the Student Services Building, and the excitement was palpable. With tons of fun crafts, games, and line dancing, there was nowhere else we would have rather been. Over the course of the day, we found fun ways to fundraise and help keep us pushing towards our goal. This year's campaign, we aimed to raise $315,000 for our families and emphasize that the services that our funds provide truly expand further than medicine. As time went on, we had the opportunity to hear stories showcasing the direct impact of programs regarding bereavement, music therapy, and much more. 

As the day continued, we got to enjoy an energizing power hour where we pushed each other to fundraise with live updates and cheers, witnessing just how successful we can be when we stand together. Though, one of our most unifying parts of the day came later, when we had Gong on Tour. We traveled together all across campus, hitting the gong with our external organizations that contribute just as much to our impact. Florida State University is truly a family, and it was amazing to see all our external members and friends fight alongside us. Our two tours merged back together at Wescott Fountain, a true emblem of our university. Here we finished with lots of laughs, cheers, and gong hitting as we pushed through towards the end of the day. Later that evening, we had the privilege of welcoming many of our internal members into Comma Club! It truly was such a prideful moment, where we witnessed many people find their “why’s” for this amazing organization. However, the fun and celebration were far from over with Statement After Dark. Our members danced their hearts away during silent disco, one of our favorite ways to spend time together. Riley, a CMN Miracle Ambassador, even popped by to “rave” with us after sharing her story. We also engaged in some friendly competition during trivia and bingo, all while still raising money for our larger CMN family. 

On Thursday morning, we all found each other again at the Integration Statue, ready to take on our last 4 hours of Statement. At the Integration Statue we had the chance to listen to Marshal’s story and announce that we had successfully completed our overnight push, More for Marshal, and raised over $4,000! After, we all set up on Landis Green and let the fun continue with music, treats, and crafts. Many of our members also enjoyed a Marshal’s Mocha, a drink from Frother’s Daughter that kept us all energized for the rest of the push. As the time ticked by we were all buzzing with anticipation, and counted down the last 10 seconds of Statement together. All of our hard work had culminated in our Statement reveal that took place in front of Landis Hall. 

We are proud to announce that DM at FSU surpassed our goal, and raised $333,279.84!

Many tears and smiles were shared as the realization set in. Together we fought for a future where kids and families can know More than Medicine. As we reflect back, we could not thank our wonderful donors enough for their contributions. With the success we saw at Statement 2025 we cannot wait to see what lies ahead for the rest of the year, as we still have More to Do.

Written By: Tenleigh Edwards-Hetzler