The first (and last) time I was there was to support my son in THON. Awesome annual event. Check it out! www.thon.org.

THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON)! THON is a year round fundraising event benefiting The Four Diamonds Fund, Conquering Childhood Cancer, at the Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, PA. The year culminates in a no-sitting, no-sleeping, 48-hour dance marathon held every February. Over the past 30 years, the students of THON have raised over $30 million and have helped thousands of children and families fight pediatric cancer.

Planning for THON 2007 is already well under way. Thanks to the great success of THON 2006, we are now $4.21 million steps closer to finding the cure for pediatric cancer. Over the past 35 years, the students of THON have raised over $41 million and have helped thousands of children and families fight pediatric cancer. This collective effort, involving over 15,000 students, has become one of Penn State’s greatest and most unifying traditions.

Each year Penn State students and faculty, families, and sponsors work year round to make THON the best it can be. The money students raise touches the lives of hundreds of families every year through “superior care, comprehensive support, and innovative research” at Penn State Children’s Hospital. The continued hard work and success brings us even closer to fulfilling our $10 million pledge for the creation of the new Pediatric Cancer Pavilion at Penn State Children’s Hospital, which is located on Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus. This gift promises to revolutionize the way children are cared for at the Medical Center and redefine family-centered care!