Dance Blue Raises $1,880,954.88 For the Kids

Easily the best thing the University of Kentucky does is their annual dance marathon to raise money for UK children's hospital, Dance Blue. This year was the 14^th year of Dance Blue and each year is better than the last. With the end of marathon donation total increasing every year, this year was no different. This year, Dance Blue raised $1,880,954.88 FOR THE KIDS!!!! The total has now reached over 15 million dollars in 14 years. As someone who has had a family member involved in the Children's clinic at UK, this event is truly astonishing and proves how much these students really care about the health of our future, along with the kids themselves. At Dance Blue, UK students are on their feet 24 hours dancing for one cause, and that’s to help raise money for the UK children’s hematology/oncology and all the proceeds to help children fighting cancer. It helped to build the current facility they’re in and the state of the art equipment for the future. On Saturday night, the marathon is primarily for the students to get acquainted with the line dance they do at the top of every hour. Some years some of the athletes, mascots, or coaches will join the students in the marathon. On Sunday, Dance Blue invites the families who have helped with Dance Blue or has had Dance Blue help them to come watch the event along with the children's talent show, the celebration of life hour, and of course the big reveal.  It's truly a great event.

UK students here dancing for 24 hours straight to raise money for children battling cancer. Last year the DanceBlue event raised more than $1.8 million for the Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic. pic.twitter.com/ym44OyGe7p

— Chelsea Jones (@ChelseaWkyt) March 3, 2019

How else would #DB19 spend an early Sunday morning? pic.twitter.com/cs5GZnRnhW

— DanceBlue (@UKDanceBlue) March 3, 2019

Madison Little, a student at Kentucky, participated for her second time this year. According to little, she found great purpose in participating in the 24-hour Marathon. "During the marathon last year I had been scanning my mind on what I can do to help," Little told KSR. "During the memorial video last year, I had tears streaming down my face, seeing all these families being affected by pediatric cancer. Seeing these random faces on the screen, up popped a familiar face. Seeing someone who had passed away that I was close to, hit close to home and it made me want to do it again. If these children can go through what they do day-to-day, I can totally do this for 24 hours." Little said she recommends participating to all UK students and she will undoubtedly be participating in the next two years. One of the founders of Dance Blue, Jennifer Mynear, said Dance Blue had changed the landscape of UK in itself. "Initially the impact of Dance Blue was we were told at one point by one of the university administrators and told the students 'you have changed the culture of philanthropy at UK,'" said Mynear. " It has changed the heart of UK. The students who participate every year, give everything and not just dollars, but their hearts, their time and their love." Mynear continued with her high praise for the insane amount of students who contribute to Dance Blue. "They have completely transformed pediatric hematology-oncology care here at UK children's hospital. They have changed; literally, I don't use this lightly, the level of care. We went from being a good small pediatric oncology, to top five in the country. That's all the students." To the students at UK, job well done. It's a fantastic event that I hope to see continue every year until we finally find the cure! Thank you to the donors, the students, the staff, and the doctors. You have truly changed lives.