What does DanceBlue mean to me?
As a junior in high school, starting my first mini marathon, DanceBlue was something they did at UK. It was something I begged all my friends to come to, something I worked hours and hours to plan. As a senior in high school it was even better. It was a way that I could make a difference. I could motivate and inspire students and faculty to support something that would benefit so many lives.
Coming to UK freshman year, DanceBlue was my #1 reason for choosing this school. I couldn’t imagine going somewhere that didn’t dance for 24 hours once a year to support kids battling a terrible illness. After dancing my first year, I realized that DanceBlue meant soreness, exhaustion, and tears and that all of that was inspiring a community to serve, love, and stand behind these kids and their families.
Then sophomore year came and I new that I had to join committee. I had to see how they make this thing happen. I mean; it blew my mind. As an operations coordinator, I learned that DanceBlue most certainly does not just happen. It takes 365 days of commitment to the cause. It takes heavy lifting, spreadsheets, cleaning up messes, and organizing volunteers. At the end of the marathon, I was so proud of what we had accomplished, but I wanted more.
I knew, coming in to this year, that I wanted to join Family Relations. But even after being chosen as Clinic Activities Coordinator, it hadn’t hit me how special this would be. Today it did. Today I learned, as I sat in clinic, that DanceBlue means much more than I thought. DanceBlue means playing games for hours with kids while nurses deliver the news that counts are too low for treatment.
It means wrapping your arms around them as they rest on your shoulder. It means telling them yes over and over when they ask you to go with them to an operation. It means hugs, laughs, and tears. DanceBlue means loving and serving families and each other and letting that carry over into all areas of life.
What does DanceBlue mean to me?
Everything.
– Katie Adams
[x_share title=”Share this Post” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” email=”true”]