A 20-year-old woman just learned that she has a rare heart disease, that likely can't be cured. But her friends are keeping a smile on her face while raising awareness for organ donation.
Just seven months ago, Danika Newberry was enjoying college at Lakeland University and living the average 20-year-old life. But one April night would change everything.
"All of a sudden, I felt something go wrong," said Newberry. "I was losing feeling in my left arm, I was twitching, I was having sharp chest pains."
That was the first of four heart attacks Newberry would experience this year. And just last week, her doctor delivered unimaginable news.
"She told me that I have six months to a year to live," said Newberry.
That's when her friends stepped in and created #DancingforDanika.
"I was like Danika! We should do something that people wouldn't want to do but they would do, sort of like an ALS ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for organ donation," said one of Newberry's friends Jessica Luecke.
It started with just their sorority sisters who posted videos of themselves dancing using that hashtag. But then they started nominating people and the next morning, Newberry says she woke up to more than 300 notifications.
"You see people who are so serious all the time and then all of a sudden, you get a notification from them that they're dancing and they're dancing in the wackiest way," said Newberry.
She says she's seen about 50 videos so far, from colleges around the state and even outside Wisconsin.
She said her condition has worsened to the point where she is no longer eligible for a heart transplant.
"It's not just my heart anymore," she said. "Because there's not enough blood flow in my body, other organs in my body are slowly going to start to shut down."
Despite the timeline she's been given, she says she won't stop fighting while her friends keep dancing.
"I've broke, I've cried, it has affected me," said Newberry. "I'm not as strong as people think but I keep the smiling face on because I have to. The moment I let this disease define me is the moment I lost and I refuse to let that happen."
Newberry's sorority sisters are holding an event December 6 at Lakeland University to encourage people to become organ donors. It's open to the general public and will start at 7 p.m. at the school's Bradley Theater.
