Jessica Ryan

Volunteer at Community Health Hospital North through VolunTeen program.

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 that is raised through DanceBlue is donated to the Golden Matrix Fund, established to support the kids of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children's Hospital Pediatric 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 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic patients and families. Childhood cancer not only effects 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 by bringing comfort to both patients and their families. Through 13 years of DanceBlue, more than $12 million has been raised to support: The construction of a new hematology/oncology clinic at the Kentucky Children's Hospital that will expand the capacity of the clinic as well as provide a more convenient and comfortable experience for the families. The hiring of vital staff in the clinic such as a Child Life Specialist who provides encouragement and distraction to help the child emotionally handle their diagnosis and the treatments. 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 treatments. Patient support programs such as the "Beads of Courage" program that each child receives after cancer treatments. Participated as both a Dancer and Team Captain and raised over $1500 for DanceBlue.