Each year, Reason to Dance, Reason for Hope brings together local “celebrities” and their partnered professional dance instructors for a ballroom dance competition that not only entertains, but changes lives. Based on the popular TV show "Dancing with the Stars," this event benefits the Riley Children’s Foundation, supporting both the Child Life Program at Riley Children’s Health and the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Season nine of Reason to Dance will take place on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis. One of this year’s celebrities, Emily Sims, MD, is ready to take the stage.
Sims is a pediatric endocrinologist at Riley Children's as well as a physician scientist at the IU School of Medicine Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and at the Wells Center. 
Her work focuses on Type 1 diabetes research, aiming to improve the way the disease is diagnosed and treated. When approached to participate in Reason to Dance, she saw it as an opportunity to support a cause she deeply believes in. Having attended the event last year, she was inspired by the story of its founders, the Greeleys, who started this event after receiving impeccable care for their child at Riley.
“The Greeleys said the care they received at Riley changed their lives, so they wanted to give back by building an event around something they really loved–ballroom dancing,” Sims explained. “I felt like this was something I could really get behind because I think all of us who are associated with Riley feel like it’s an incredible place!”
Over the past eight years, the event has raised nearly a million dollars, with hopes of surpassing that milestone this year.
While Sims is no stranger to challenging work and honing her scientific skills, ballroom dancing is something completely outside of her comfort zone. To prepare for the event, she and her dance partner/coach, Mike DeSante, have been training weekly at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Carmel, Indiana.
“In my everyday job I have done a lot of training and feel pretty confident about the skills I’ve developed and use every day,” Sims shared. “It has been really humbling to have to start learning ballroom dancing from the very beginning!”
As a little teaser, she revealed that one of their two routines features a performance to Post Malone’s “Sunflower” from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack!
The awards for the competition include:
- The Riley Children’s Choice Award for the dancer who earns the most votes from the Riley kids.
- The Runner Up award for the dancer who has the second highest combined judges’ score.
- The Judges’ Choice award for the celebrity with the highest combined judges’ scores.
- The Grand Champion award for the celebrity who raises the most money.
All proceeds go directly to the Riley Children's Foundation, impacting and improving the care that Riley kids receive. The Child Life Program at Riley helps children navigate scary procedures and hospital stays, making a world of difference in their experience. Meanwhile, pediatric research at the Wells Center plays a crucial role in advancing treatments that improve and save lives.
“I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how working in diabetes research is contributing to changing the way that we diagnose and treat patients with Type 1 diabetes,” Sims stated. “Donor funds such as these are especially critical as they tend to fund high-risk, high-reward projects, which often end up being the truly transformative projects that break down existing paradigms.”
If you want to show your support for Sims and the Riley Children's Foundation, visit her celebrity page to find out how.
