Students Raise $600,888 for Pediatric Oncology
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 9, 2009) − After 24 hours of non-stop dancing,
approximately 600 University of Kentucky students and dozens of young cancer patients and their
families discovered that they have once again broke last year's total by raising an astonishing
$600,888.82 for pediatric oncology care at the university.
DanceBlue, the UK Center for Community Outreach’s largest student-run philanthropy, was held this past Friday and Saturday in UK's Memorial Coliseum to benefit the Golden Matrix Fund and the UK Pediatric Oncology Clinic. The event began on campus in the spring of 2006, and in the past three years, hundreds of UK students, faculty and staff, along with the help of the Lexington community, have raised over $1 million with the help of friends and family throughout the state. Last year alone nearly $425,000 was raised.
The money raised through DanceBlue helps patients receive better care and support, while enhancing the lives of children and their families suffering from childhood cancer. It is also supporting a late-effects clinic that helps screen survivors of childhood cancer throughout their lives to detect early signs of problems due to their cancer treatments as a child. The funds are also going directly to pediatric cancer research initiatives that are helping to find a cure. Approximately 48 percent of the families the clinic treats are from Fayette County and the six counties surrounding Lexington, and 47 percent of the families are from 49 other counties that make up Central and Eastern Kentucky.
In addition to fundraising, student organizations are involved with the Adopt-A-Family program, which pairs students with the families of pediatric cancer patients. Students provide emotional support for the families and organize fun activities for the patients and siblings.
Visit online for more information and to view a video of the total amount being revealed.
DanceBlue, the UK Center for Community Outreach’s largest student-run philanthropy, was held this past Friday and Saturday in UK's Memorial Coliseum to benefit the Golden Matrix Fund and the UK Pediatric Oncology Clinic. The event began on campus in the spring of 2006, and in the past three years, hundreds of UK students, faculty and staff, along with the help of the Lexington community, have raised over $1 million with the help of friends and family throughout the state. Last year alone nearly $425,000 was raised.
The money raised through DanceBlue helps patients receive better care and support, while enhancing the lives of children and their families suffering from childhood cancer. It is also supporting a late-effects clinic that helps screen survivors of childhood cancer throughout their lives to detect early signs of problems due to their cancer treatments as a child. The funds are also going directly to pediatric cancer research initiatives that are helping to find a cure. Approximately 48 percent of the families the clinic treats are from Fayette County and the six counties surrounding Lexington, and 47 percent of the families are from 49 other counties that make up Central and Eastern Kentucky.
In addition to fundraising, student organizations are involved with the Adopt-A-Family program, which pairs students with the families of pediatric cancer patients. Students provide emotional support for the families and organize fun activities for the patients and siblings.
Visit online for more information and to view a video of the total amount being revealed.