NOVAdance is Villanova University's 12-hour philanthropic dance marathon that unifies the entire Villanova community to fight pediatric cancer. Our mission is to support the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation who provides support for families with children afflicted with childhood cancer across the nation as well as funds medical research. Students spend the academic year raising awareness and funds in the fight against childhood cancer, while hosting outreach events and forming connections with kids, who are our B+ Heroes, and their families.
Why support NOVAdance?
• 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every school day.
• 2,300 children & teenagers will die each year from childhood cancer
• Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States, 1 to 14 years of age.
• The incidence of childhood cancer is up 29% in 20 years.
• Childhood cancer survivor rates in the U.S. have increased from less than 20% in the 1960's to almost 80% today - we hope someday we can make it 100%.
• The average age of death for a child with cancer is 8, causing a child to lose 69 years of expected life.
• Cancer occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
• Only one new cancer drug has been approved for childhood cancer treatment in the past 20 years.
• Treatment leaves 60% of survivors with long-term health issues, from organ damage to high risk of secondary cancer. See Less