JENI NANCE
Staff Writer
For 19 years, the UDance Dance Marathon has been hosted at the university every spring. This year, the Bob Carpenter Center was transformed into a carnival-themed celebration for the kids.
UDance is a Registered Student Organization (RSO) that fundraises year-round for The B+ Foundation, an organization that supports families of children battling cancer and helps fund cancer research. Each participating RSO “adopts” a B+ Hero – a child who is actively fighting or has fought childhood cancer – creating lasting bonds between college students and the families affected.
B+ Hero Caleb was placed with Alpha Epsilon Pi in 2021, about a year and a half after starting his cancer treatment. While initially nervous about her seven-year-old hanging out with people in fraternities, Caleb’s mother, Naomi Quick, grew to love Alpha Epsilon Pi and now sees them as family.
“He is exceptionally close with a number of brothers, even alumni, who he keeps in touch with, ” Quick said. “They’ll text on his birthday and when they know he’s had checkups, and they’re really thoughtful about reaching out. And so we’ve kept in contact with a number of brothers.”
This year’s event, held on April 6, welcomed thousands of students, B+ Heroes and their families. There was everything from carnival games and face painters to a B+ Hero talent show and an hour-long rave.
“They always try to choose something super creative that’s really gonna highlight our B+ Heroes,” Lauren Dienna, the media engagement and website chair for UDance, said. “And this year we did a carnival theme, experience the extraordinary, and it gives our heroes just such a unique opportunity to have so much fun.”
After months of fundraising and engaging with their B+ Heroes, students across different organizations, from Greek life to varsity sports, join together at the Bob Carpenter Center for the dance marathon.
“Seeing the students come together and pack the Bob is one of the most unbelievable things that you can possibly find on campus,” Abby Rindfleish, the UDance RSO director, said. “I mean, we don’t have as much passion for our sports teams or other things, and there’s events on campus, but UDance is something that is a staple on campus and the tradition.”
According to the B+ hero families, the greatest thing to see is the impact this event has on the B+ Heroes.
“Anytime we’ve gone to a hockey game, they treat Aiden like VIP,” Heather Graham, mother of B+ Hero Aiden, said. “They let us go sit in the press box because it’s too cold or they want to lay down on the couch. They give him hockey pucks, they let him come back in the locker room and build him up and let him do these amazing things. So they’ve really made my son feel like he’s on top of the world. ”
Not only have these kids and their families struggled with living with cancer, COVID-19 has also taken a toll on their lives.
“This journey takes so much away from us, and then COVID took away even more,” Grace Lim Slocum, mother of B+ Hero Elliott, said. “And then to find out that there were these college kids that were actually excited to be involved with a child that they never met before. It’s brought them this level of love, and they can just be a kid.”
The event concluded with the reveal of the fundraising total – $1.8 million – all going to The B+ Foundation to continue its mission of helping kids fight cancer.
“So far on campus, I feel like the reach has rippled out the furthest that it’s been,” Quick said. “And I think that that is actually the ultimate goal, is reaching as many people as possible, because then most people begin to fundraise and raise awareness and become aware of the cause too.”
As students cheered and held signs high, the spirit of UDance became clear. It is not just about the money raised, but the memories made, the lives touched and the belief that even the smallest efforts can create massive change.
“Our kids can be kids,” Lim Slocum said. “Not worry about all the c— about the hospital, about the pain, about the bad memories, and just have fun.”
