HC DanceBlue Participant offers insight on night of charity and fun
Growing up, we are taught the importance of helping others less fortunate than us, and this has become a daily staple and passion for the activists and creators of DanceBlue. The mission is simplified in the three word motto: for the kids (FTK).
Most of you who haven’t heard of it are probably asking what DanceBlue is.
UK now is home to one of the top ten largest philanthropies across the nation. DanceBlue is a non-profit organization run entirely by students at UK with the purpose of raising money and awareness to kids battling life threating illnesses.
The inspiration for the organization came from a child who was diagnosed with Ewin’s Sarcoma, a bone cancer at a very young age. The coalition provides support for kids such as these, throughout hospitals across Kentucky to enhance medicine and technology and establish comfortable facilities.
On Friday Nov 18th, HC participated in their fourth annual DanceBlue Mini Marathon, to raise money for the organization. Six hours of nonstop dancing, games and excitement, all for a prominent cause.
This year, HC raised the most money in their thirteen years, an outstanding amount of over 4,000 dollars, $4015.53 to be exact. All of these donations go to hospitals and research facilities at UK’s DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic to care for the children suffering with all types of cancer.
As a junior, in my first year partaking in a DanceBlue marathon, the experience was remarkable. Guest speakers: Dr. Lars Wagner, and Bradley Wilson, a leukemia survivor and UK sophomore shared their touching stories, and talked about the importance of DanceBlue and the inspiring effect it had on them.
The impact it has on the kids lasts forever, and is heartwarming to see the change and emotions of the children in action. The money is put to use to make the process more pleasing and comfortable to the families, and the vast turnout shows how many people care.
The process of cancer and chemotherapy is very painful, stressful and is unpleasant to the kids and their families.
The money raised from UK’s DanceBlue has created opportunity for newly built facilities to care for children, patients and their families; and in the past few decades the chance of long term survival of pediatric cancer for children has grew from 20% to 80% with the help of the DanceBlue community.
Photography by Maggie MacChesney