STORY

Dancer against Cancer was the idea to organize an event in the form of a charity ball with celebrity dance tournament to support the Austrian Cancer Aid. The basic idea was to help, educate and prevent around the large and extensive topic of cancer.

If you want to make a difference as a dance school, you have to look for your area of opportunity around dancing. The most attention is achieved with the help of people who are prominent and therefore in the limelight anyway. If you find enough of these celebrities from all areas of life (society, economy, politics,..), who are aware of the great social responsibility, you are on the best way to make a lasting change.

I have met many celebrities who, despite countless charitable commitments, have taken the time to be there for Dancer against Cancer. Whether they were learning to dance, training to dance, performing, hosting, sponsoring or singing, they were there for my team and me and our idea.

Be there. Show you face. Against Cancer

Try to imagine it will be your last day, when you look into the mirror one morning. Then tell your mirror image what you have achieved so far in your life and about the things you can be proud of ...

and then be glad it isn´t your last day to live and use your live to achieve something important, something you could really be proud of …

The Story behind Dancer against Cancer

It was 2004 when I heard that one of my friends suffered from skin cancer. She was my age. I thought „she will be alright soon. The doctors will certainly be able to cure her.“

After Christmas I was told, that there was no chance of healing for her, and after that it was only months until finally I was called that she had lost her struggle against cancer. She was a friend, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a granddaughter but most of all she was always full of joy and life. There are many reactions at such incident someone can choose: you can accept the facts in a rather paralyzed state, you can cry and weep till there is no more tear left, you can simply fall into despair, you become angry with god or you can yell and rage but: whatever you do nothing will change what has happened. Our response was: we wanted to do something - make a difference - to achieve something - a gala ball for the Austrian Cancer Aid - Dancer against Cancer was launched in October 2006.

Make a difference as well!

Dancer against Cancer is YOUR sign for helping others

and getting help YOURSELF, if needed.

Cancer doesn't notice the colour of your gender, your skin, your age or your social standing. Dancer against Cancer is independent of gender, skin colour, age, social standing and the kind of cancer.

Please support.

Helping by dancing

Dancer against Cancer started as an idea to do a Charity-ball-event including a VIP dancing contest and to support the Austrian Cancer Aid.

The main idea was to share information and promote prevention support in the big and extensive field of cancer. Most of us live in a stressful, hectic daily routine and there is hardly any time left for something not scheduled. No time for taking meals - just fast food; no time for taking breaks and relaxing - Burnout Syndrome; no time for preventive medical check ups - civilization illnesses; no time for friendships – computer autism, & many more examples could be named for almost anyone of us.

Its time for humanity, time to be a human being - at least for this very special evening.

Now the Dancer against Cancer Gala Ball is all about fighters:

With the Memory Lane we want to remember those who were taken,

while the active or won fighters are also honored by us.

There is also a chance to donate a fighter ticket for Fighters, so they can enjoy this special eventing and escape from everyday life.

Furthermore, the ball is supported by award-winning dance groups with their shows.

A new case of cancer is diagnosed every 9 seconds. This means that, since you are reading this, one new case may already have been diagnosed. By the end of our text, there could be a lot more.

Epidemiology shows that 40% of us will face cancer at some point in our lives.

A cancer diagnosis does not only affect the patient, it also affects families, friends, everyone near the patient is caught up in this tsunami.

This diagnosis is the source of many feelings and emotions. Of sadness, anxiety, anger, denial, even helplessness.

Cancer concerns all of us, in one way or another - and that is why we all need to join forces, to make a difference, especially if one looks at the stark numbers looming in the future which suggest cancer cases will double by 2035.

Please support us with your donation! It doesn't depend on the amount of the donation but on the fact that we stick together.

Every euro counts.

Our organization works on a voluntary basis and has raised over € 1.400.000  in the last 17 years.

We support the cancer aid so patients can join the help for free!

After 17 years, the Dancer against Cancer Gala still stands up for the same ideals:

Help, Educate and Prevent.

..because no one is safe from cancer - unfortunately it can affect us all.

We should not only be aware of this, but also carry it forward.

Yvonne Rueff

Dancer against Cancer

chairwoman