The University of Delaware hosted the 16th UDance Marathon Sunday, the first large-scale version of the event since the start of the pandemic.
UDance is UD’s largest student-run philanthropy - teaming up with the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation since 2009 to raise fund to help families of children with cancer.
This year’s event raised a total of $1,814,429.68.
UDance 2022 Executive Director Carlie Gallagher says
while this year’s total fell short of the event’s pre-pandemic high water mark of just over $2.2 million in 2019, this year’s event was a success nonetheless.
“75% of the campus has never been to a UDance at the Bob Carpenter Center, so it was still challenging all year to get that engagement from everybody just because it was this idea, nobody really knew what UDance was,” Gallagher explained. “But I know seeing all the students there, community members, B+ heroes and their families, everybody was definitely really inspired.”
UDance saw its numbers dip to about $1.7 million in 2020 when the dance marathon was canceled by the pandemic, and to $1.56 million in 2021 when it was forced to go to a hybrid format.
“Our goal was just to get UDance trending back upwards, and we were really excited to be able to do that this year,” said Gallagher. “In 2019, the total was [around] $2.5 so we definitely think that UDance is going in that upward trend and we’ll see $2 million again really soon.”
Over 6,600 students participated in fundraising efforts this year, and Gallagher says over 3,000 students, community members, and B+ Heroes were in person at the Carpenter Center Sunday.
The B+ Foundation is a non-profit that provides financial help to families of children with cancer. It was founded by the McDonough family to honor their son, Andrew McDonough, who died of leukemia in 2007 at the age of 14.
The year-long UDance fundraising event finishes off with a 12-hour dance marathon at the Bob Carpenter Center. Students and community members are invited to participate in a variety of activities, including silent disco, hair cutting, and a B+ Hero talent show.
B+ Heroes are central to the event. They're kids who are battling cancer, or who have battled cancer in the past. At UD, B+ Heroes are paired with Greek chapters, athletic teams, student organizations, and residence halls. And at the dance marathon, UD students are given the opportunity to celebrate their Heroes.
