Extra special thanks goes to my very first donor, Travis!
I was excited that he picked the theme to I Dream of Jeannie as it gave me an excuse to wear my favorite harem-panted romper. (Of course, this is just a preview of his video. He’ll get access to the full thing, as will my other friends on Facebook.)
Ok, folks. Donations are open for business:
Eek!
Many changes are coming this time around–all positive, I hope. I’m increasing production quality a bit, launching this blog (though full videos won’t be published here), giving you a link to the youtube video of your dance so you can share it with your friends more easily, and using a different fundraising platform to give me more control over the timing of the campaign. (I’ll be out of town during PanCAN’s Purple Stride this year.) (Again.)
Here’s hoping for a successful campaign…
I started to put together my own pancreatic cancer fact sheet but got too depressed by the bleak statistics. So instead, I adapted the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s most recent fact sheet and published it here.
You can find their original document here: Pancreatic Cancer Facts 2011 [pdf]
That fact sheet references the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures 2010. You can find the 2012 version here: Cancer Facts and Figures 2012 [pdf]
If you’d like to learn more about pancreatic cancer funding, I recommend you also check out this report. As an advocacy document it’s biased, but it details many of the funding hurdles that are preventing progress in the fight for higher survivability rates: Pancreatic Cancer: A trickle of federal funding for a river of need [pdf]
If you know of other reports and resources you’d like me to highlight, feel free to suggest them to me via email.
The process:
1) You donate $40 (tax-deductible) or more to my fundraising page.
2) You email me your choice of song to info@awkwardance.com. Don’t forget to include your name (and how you’re connected to me if it isn’t obvious) so I know whose donation is whose and can publish the video in the correct place!
3) I record a silly dance video to about 30 seconds of your song.
The fine print (aka lessons learned from last time:)
1) Quality will vary drastically from one video to the next. (Sorry, but it’s the nature of creative projects.)
2) I have an easier time if your song pick suggests a specific idea I can work with, but I’m a resourceful gal so don’t agonize over selecting the absolute perfect tune.
3) It might take a while to get your video published. Patience is appreciated.
4) I reserve the right to veto any non-song requests including but not limited to movement styles, themes, props, etc. On the other hand, sometimes the extra parameters really help me.
5) If you’re hoping for anything raunchy you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
6) By default, you will be thanked publicly by name. Let me know if you’d like to stay anonymous.
7) One video per donor. If you’re contributing a substantial sum and would like me to revisit this policy, let’s be in touch.
The Awkward Dance Project is a goofy way for me to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Its first iteration occurred over the summer of 2010, during my mother’s illness and death from pancreatic cancer. The outpouring of support from friends and family (and friends-of-friends and total strangers) raised $5,278 toward Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s education, advocacy, patient support and research programs.
Due to popular demand (and continued high mortality rates) I’m bringing the Project back for another round. Click around on the different links up the top to see a bit more of what this is about.
Coming soon.
