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About Super Dance

Since 1989, when the CF gene was discovered, scientists have been writing a remarkable medical success story. CF researchers are quickly translating what they learn about the CF gene and CF cells in the laboratory, into promising new treatments. Based on their success, landmark gene therapy studies and clinical trials on new drug treatments are now underway. In the years that O'Connell has held the Superdance, the life expectancy of a CF patient has doubled. We have increased the total money raised to over $2,600,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. By investing in CF research, you are investing in the lives of those with the disease. Working together, we can give the children and young adults with CF the quality of life and the future they deserve

Quotes from Superdance Committees

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History of the Superdance

Watch a video: The History of Superdance (4 min)

Bishop Denis J. O'Connell's Superdance is the largest high school fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the nation, and one of the largest high school fundraising events in the country. In 1976, Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School began holding the Superdance, created by Monsignor James McMurtrie along with the O'Connell students, in order to speed the discovery of a cure for the deadly disease, which had claimed the life of sophomore Brenda O'Donnell on April 14, 1975. Her sister, Maura O'Donnell, graduated from O'Connell and went on to nursing school at Marymount University, continuing to support the Superdance in hopes that a cure would be found. Her last Superdance was in 1978 when she came out of the hospital just for the dance. In a speech delivered to the O'Connell community, she said the following:

β€œAll of you I know have dreams--dreams of college, of success, of love and happiness-- dreams of the future. We with cystic fibrosis have dreams too. Your wonderful all-out efforts and work for this dance-a-thon may help to make some of our dreams come true.”

Two months later, she too died of this disease. Since then, the students of O'Connell have worked to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis.

What is CF?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. One thousand new cases of CF are diagnosed every year; more than 10 million people are carriers of the defective CF gene. The CF gene, which produces a defective protein, was discovered in 1989. CF causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus that lines organs. Symptoms include salty tasting skin, persistent coughing, wheezing, pneumonia, excessive appetite but poor weight gain, and bulky stools. The sweat test is the standard diagnostic test for CF. Treatments include antibiotics and chest physical therapy, which requires vigorous percussion on the back and chest.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was established in 1955, and there are more than 100 care centers nationwide today. The foundation provides numerous grants for research. It also funds its own network of 10 CF research centers at leading universities and medical schools. It was the first voluntary health agency to create and fund such a network. The foundation carries a Therapeutics Development Program for drug development.
The foundation has more than 250,000 volunteers and depends on public support. In 2000, SmartMoney picked the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as one of β€œ17 charities that won't waste your money.” The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation works to develop a cure, control CF, and improve the quality of life for those with the disease. Donate to the foundation here.