Over 40 students at Danville High School gathered for six hours on Friday, March 13, to participate in a DanceBlue “mini marathon,” a fundraiser organized by the school’s National Honor Society (NHS) to raise money for the DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Clinic at the University of Kentucky.
The fundraiser was just one instance of a statewide initiative to raise money for the clinic. According to the DanceBlue website, over 40 schools across Kentucky hold annual events to raise money for the program. The schools host “mini marathons”— events lasting two to six hours that include games, dances, food, and a final fundraising total reveal.
At Danville High School, the six-hour marathon culminated in the fundraising of $9,043.39. Each hour, there was a different theme that shaped the activities and dances. The themes for this year included Disney, Cars, Olympics, Marvel, and Neon. Some of the activities included Hungry Hungry Hippos, line dancing, and making cards for clinic patients.
“I think DanceBlue really is a celebration of joy,” said Lilly Bratcher, a junior at Danville High School who helped organize the event. “It takes an extremely difficult topic and contrasts it with games, dancing, and fun. I think it is really a testament to the power of joy and hope in hard times."
DanceBlue began in 2006, organized initially to honor the legacy of Jarrett Mynear, a child who passed away from Ewing sarcoma, a rare, aggressive cancer that metastasizes through bones and soft tissue, at 13 years old. In 2002, Jarrett’s final request was to help the Pediatric Oncology Outpatient Clinic. Since then, the organization has raised more than $25 million dollars.
“For me, DanceBlue represents young people in Kentucky’s dedication to caring for others. The fact that this program has continued to proliferate across the state for so many years is a testament to that,” said Avery Dunn, a junior at Danville High School.
That sense of impact became especially clear at the end of the event, when the final total was revealed.
“Seeing over $8000 on the poster boards at the end makes all of the hard work so worth it,” said Lucy Beauman, a junior at Danville High School. “It’s a beautiful reminder that while the fight against pediatric cancer is heavy, the goal is to ensure that even in the toughest times, kids and their families still get to experience childhood, laughter and that ‘Joy Prevails.’”
Photo credit: Rae Stinnett, senior Danville High School
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