STATE COLLEGE — Hundreds of Penn State students will be on their feet for 46 hours straight this weekend in a battle against childhood cancer. Penn State’s THON is taking over the Bryce Jordan Center.
WPSU will also be providing a stream of the THON webcast for the 46+ hours of THON:
- The webcast will begin on Friday, Feb. 20, at around 4:30pm.
- The webcast will end shortly after the reveal of the final fundraising totals on Sunday, Feb. 22.
Childhood cancers are the number one disease killer of children in the U.S., more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. THON’s mission is simple: to conquer childhood cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of the Four Diamonds Fund.
THON has been partnered with Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Medical Center since 1977. Four Diamonds provides outstanding support to children and families by insurance, and funding research performed by a team of pediatric oncologists at the hospital. Since partnering, THON has raised more than $114 million for Four Diamonds and the fight against childhood cancer.
The fundraising effort culminates with a 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon from February 20-22, 2015. More than 700 students will stand, while tens of thousands of spectators will circulate through Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center to support these dancers and Four Diamonds Families in attendance.
Student volunteers from the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) collectively raised more than $13.84 million last year for pediatric cancer treatment and research at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, according to THON’s most recent Summary of Fundraising Activities (SoFA).
Look for coverage of THON this weekend on Newswatch 16, we will have a crew there as it all wraps up on Sunday.
THON donations will also be accepted all weekend. Click here to donate to THON.
