DanceBlue

DanceBlue is a University of Kentucky student-run organization that fundraises year-round and culminates in a 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon. All of the money raised through DanceBlue is donated to the Golden Matrix Fund, established to support the kids of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic both today and well into the future through an endowment. DanceBlue also helps to provide funds to support research at the UK Markey Cancer Center. The Golden Matrix Fund was created to benefit the DanceBlue KCH Hematology/Oncology Clinic patients and families. Childhood cancer not only affects the child physically, but it also creates many emotional and financial difficulties for the entire family. The goal of the Golden Matrix Fund is to provide care and support for the kids through giving them and their parent’s comfort.

Through 12 years of DanceBlue, more than $11 million has been raised to support this cause. In addition to small but important patient support programs such as the “Beads of Courage” program that each child receives after cancer treatments, this fund has been able to allow the hiring of vital staff in the clinic such as a Childlife Specialist who provides encouragement and distraction to help the child emotionally handle their diagnosis and the treatments. Additionally, a school intervention specialist has been brought on as an advocate for the patients within schools to ensure they do not fall behind in classes as a result of their treatment. Finally, the support of the Golden Matrix Fund has recently allowed for the construction of a new Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic that has expanded the capacity of the clinic as well as providing a more convenient and comfortable experience for the families.

​More information about DanceBlue can be found on their homepage, here.