UNIVERSITY PARK -- Every year, thousands of Penn State students dance for 46 straight hours as part of the dance marathon known as THON.
They do it to raise money to help those with pediatric cancer.
Around 700 Penn State students packed the dance floor inside the Bryce Jordan Center, and they didn't stop for 46 hours, while friends and family cheered them on.
"For all of us, all 50,000 students to be here right now and to kind of pump them up with momentum and energy going through the floor right now, I think we're going to pump them up," said Smit Mehta of Scranton.
THON raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund which helps families pay for cancer treatments and supports research to find a cure.
"It just shows everything we've done in the past year, or four years for me now. It's for a community. It's for others, and it's for the kids," said Will Worthington of East Stroudsburg.
Students agree the final few hours are the toughest physically and emotionally as the fundraiser winds down and families share their own stories battling childhood cancer. A "Celebration of Life" video remembers those who lost the battle.
"It's a mix of emotions. It's kind of a roller coaster right now. It's sad that it's ending, but it's also really a moment to be proud of for this year," said Maddy Hughes of Stroudsburg.
In the end, $10,045,478.44 was raised to help those with pediatric cancer.