Young Professionals Dance After Dark to Help Kids

More than 500 young professionals danced the night away at the seventh annual Dancing After Dark gala on Jan. 25 at the Carnegie Library. The event, hosted by the Junior Council, raised more than $135,000 to help children and families at Children’s National. Chaired by Elizabeth Ballas and Craley Davis, this year’s event brought Children’s National’s mission to life in several ways. Katie Thomas spoke about how philanthropy benefits children like her daughter Luca, who has urea cycle disorder, a rare genetic condition that prevented her liver from processing digested proteins. "As soon as we arrived at Children's National, we knew we were in the right place for Luca," she said. At an “innovation station,” guests could view a model of a heart created from a 3D printer, as well as a laparoscopic surgery simulator. Thank  you to Elizabeth, Craley, Founder's Reception hosts Owen Billman and Jessi Frend, Junior Council chairs Jim McInerney and Clare Bonsignore, the entire Dancing After Dark committee, and everyone who attended to make the event such a success. View photos from the evening.