If you are a student at the University of Louisville, you know what raiseRED is because it is the most talked-about event on campus! Fundraising for the dance marathon in February begins in August. So there is plenty of time to prepare for the largest student-run organization on UofL’s campus. There are plenty of things I didn’t know before going to raiseRED and there are plenty of things I know now
1. Your body can handle more than you think!
When I first arrived at the marathon, I was so excited and ready to start the night. I was giddy and dancing and jumping, probably harder than I needed to, and thought my excitement would never end. Eventually, 5 AM came and I guess you could say I hit a wall. I had just danced my heart out at the Silent Disco and thought I had no more energy left in my body, but when I heard the testimonies of the lives of my peers and the surrounding community, I suddenly had all the energy in the world. Hearing one of my sorority sisters share her story and experience with pediatric cancer filled my heart with so much drive, listening to a peer with continuous cancer recurrence talk about how grateful he was to be in remission made me so much more passionate, and watching the survivors of pediatric cancer perform their talents made me cry with joy. Something I couldn’t stop repeating to myself when I thought my legs couldn’t take it anymore were the words a moral captain told me.“I stand for those who can’t anymore.” You truly do not know what you are capable of until you push yourself harder than you ever have before.
2. Passionate people are the best of friends!
One thing that intimidated me about raiseRED at first was the fact that we were all split up into teams. Not being on a team with all of my closest friends scared me at first until I felt the atmosphere at raiseRED. Because we all knew why we were there and knew the cause we were supporting by participating in an event like this, it broke down social barriers. There’s something about complaining to a random stranger that your shins are in immense pain and them knowing exactly what you feel that unites you together. There was a point in the marathon when things got a little more serious than just dancing. My team and I went to discuss the reasons why we dance. Voicing my emotions or hearing those of others I don’t really know is not the most comfortable situation for me personally, but I found it surprisingly easy to express my emotions and passion for this organization in front of everyone because it was something so important to all of us. Even after the marathon, I see members of my team and talk to them like I’ve known them for years and not just those 18 hours.
3. You will leave different than you came!
Registering to do raiseRED was a last-minute decision for me and the best last-minute decision I have ever made. I cannot say that I am someone who has been personally affected by cancer, but now that I have participated in raiseRED I have become so passionate about research and ending it. When asked why I dance it was not very clear to me at first. I have always known that contributing to cancer research and supporting those who are affected by it is something that is very important, but I never really understood what my efforts were capable of. When I was fundraising to meet the minimum amount required to dance I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. I have never been good at fundraising and my years as a Girl Scout were very rough, so I was just planning on doing the best I could. Asking people for money isn’t always the most comfortable situation to be in, but the responses I got from my community were shocking. People I went to high school with were so helpful and kind, my bosses at work expressed their passion to me about this organization and were very generous, and my professors were interested in my efforts and wanted to see me succeed in reaching my goal. RaiseRED profits are split evenly between cancer research and assisting families affected by cancer. This includes providing them with funds to cover the costs of gas to and from the hospital, parking fees, complete blood count tests, and more. The interactions I had with the people around me helped me to realize the caring community I am a part of. They also made me realize that I was fighting for something much bigger than myself. I have heard stories about families being affected by cancer and now feel like I am alongside them and helping to make their fight against the disease a little less troublesome.
Now that I have participated in raiseRED I don’t think I can ever look back. This experience has taught me so much about myself and the people around me. If you attend the University of Louisville raiseRED is definitely something you can’t miss out on!