DanceBlue held its annual 5K to fundraise and increase awareness for pediatric cancer and the University of Kentucky DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Center.
On Sunday, Oct. 5, participants lined up at Alumni Commons to begin the “Ribbon Run 5K,” running and walking across the course set up on UK’s campus. Along the route, DanceBlue members cheered on participants, motivating them to complete the course.
Participants looped around the UK DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Center, reminding them of the purpose behind the 5K, according to Sarah Tackett, DanceBlue’s operations chair and the event’s planner.
As participants passed the center, Tackett said they pinned yellow ribbons, used to raise awareness for pediatric cancer, onto a large cutout ribbon display.
“We’re going to get this big ribbon to the DanceBlue clinic at the end of the race, and just show their support of how everyone is along this fight,” Tackett said.
Morgan David, DanceBlue’s marketing chair, said calling the 5K a “ribbon run” held a similar significance, as it further emphasized the organization’s purpose of battling pediatric cancer.
“That is the reason why we continue to fundraise, why we continue to dance, why we host every event that we do is to raise money for the kids in the clinic,” David said. “We really wanted to bring back the heart to that, and show that we can do something really cool and impactful for those people.”
Over 1,400 people registered for the event, according to David, who said it gave her a “tingle of joy” to see so many people not only choose to attend, but also complete the course with smiles on their faces.
“I think that if one person leaves here with a joy in their heart and a passion for DanceBlue, we consider this event successful,” David said. “We really just want to spread awareness to what we’re doing on campus, for how people can get involved and fundraise for our clinic.”
Jordan Elsasser, a participant in the “Ribbon Run 5K” and a sophomore elementary education major, said she attended because she wanted to help in the fight against pediatric cancer.
“I love DanceBlue, and I’m so happy that Kentucky does this on campus to raise awareness and money for such a great cause,” Elsasser said.
Attending the event with some of her Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters, Elsasser said the 5K helps bring people together.
Elsasser said the turnout for the 5K shows how the UK community truly cares for one another and can fight for causes together.
Emmy Reeder, Elsasser’s sorority sister and junior nursing major, said the event was a unifying experience filled with joy.
“Right now is such a separate time between people’s beliefs and opinions,” Reeder said. “This is something that, as a campus, we all get to come together and just do something from the good of our hearts.”
