Dance Marathon at UCLA

"I look to my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great, great-grandparents, we think who could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe our children and their children, 40 or 50 years from now, are going to ask me, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?"
-- Rich Stearns, President of World Vision, US

The Facts

By the end of 2005, 40.3 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, including 17.5 million women and 2.3 million children under age 15.

Worldwide, 62% of infected young people are girls, and that number soars to 77% in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2005 alone, a total of 3.1 million people died of HIV/AIDS-related causes.

Without prevention efforts, 35% of children born to an HIV positive mother will become infected with HIV. At least a quarter of newborns infected with HIV die before age one, and up to 60% will die before reaching their second birthdays.

Today, mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the primary mode of acquisition of HIV for the more than 2 million children living with HIV.

In response to the devastating global AIDS pandemic, students at UCLA have rallied together to put on a 26-hour annual dance-a-thon to acknowledge the battle of children suffering from AIDS by fighting their own personal battle: staying on their feet for the entire duration of the event.

With thousands of participants every year, live music, and appearances by celebrities and activists alike, Dance Marathon has been able to raise over 1 million dollars in its seven year history, benefiting HIV-positive children around the world.

Our proceeds benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation – the largest pediatric AIDS foundation in the United States – and Project Kindle and One Heartland, two free summer camp programs that provide HIV-affected children with the experience of a lifetime.

In 2008 alone, Dance Marathon united over 2,500 supporters and grossed $384,000 in financial contributions. Moreover, since its inception in 2002, DM has sought to empower the UCLA campus community in the fight against pediatric AIDS, raising awareness about the importance of HIV education and testing and helping young people make a difference in halting the spread of this critical, preventable disease.

Now in its eighth consecutive year of operation, DM has established itself as a tradition on the UCLA campus and among the Los Angeles community. Still a young organization, DM is constantly looking for new, innovative ways to unite students, community activists, celebrities and leaders around the cause of pediatric AIDS through the same dedication and enthusiasm it has exhibited for the past seven years.

This year, on February 21st-22nd, 2009, Dance Marathon at UCLA looks forward to another monumental weekend of campus unity, performance, entertainment, energy, education, and an increasing and ongoing commitment to the cause.

We invite you to learn more about our organization and how you can get involved by checking out the rest of our website.

More About the AIDS Crisis:
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
- Global AIDS Statistics
- International Family AIDS Initiatives
- The Need for a Vaccine
- Research Programs and Accomplishments
- Research and Training Programs
- The Epidemic in the United States
- Breast Milk Transmission Information
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