UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Athletics will again be heavily involved with the 48th IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) held at the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend.
THON's 700+ dancers, including four student-athletes and members of the cheerleading and dance teams, will begin standing at 6 p.m. Friday and not sit down or sleep until Sunday at 4 p.m. to raise awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer in the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.
Members of Penn State's Student Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) have raised more than $44,000 for THON and is in reach of its goal to raise $60,000 to assist in the fight against pediatric cancer. Since 1998, SAAB members have raised more than $830,000, including $265,000 in the last five years, for the Four Diamonds Fund.
In addition to generating financial support for THON, SAAB also provides emotional support to its THON children, Isabella Messina and Colton Buckley, and their families throughout the year.
Those wishing to assist in SAAB's fundraising efforts and help a great cause by donating directly to THON can do so by visiting http://bit.ly/saabTHON.
Four Penn State student-athletes will represent SAAB as dancers:
- Kerry Abello (women's soccer, junior; Batavia, Ill.)
- Donate to Kerry's fundraising efforts: http://bit.ly/AbelloTHON
- Pierre Reedy (men's soccer, redshirt junior; Kutztown, Pa.)
- Donate to Pierre's fundraising efforts: http://bit.ly/pierrereedyTHON
- Emily Sciorra (women's volleyball, senior; Chantilly, Va.)
- Donate to Emily's fundraising efforts: http://bit.ly/sciorraTHON
- Sarafina Valenti (women's soccer, senior; Bechtelsville, Pa.)
- Donate to Sarafina's fundraising efforts: http://bit.ly/valentiTHON
Valenti is dancing in THON for the third consecutive year. Women's basketball senior Jaida Travascio-Green raised money and was scheduled to dance, but is no longer able to participate.
Also dancing in THON are Zach Sowa, The Nittany Lion, and Eric Gaspich, the Mic Man, as well as Anna Logerfo, Sarah Wyatt and Katelyn Knorr from Penn State Cheerleading and Lauren Jackson, Haley Rodrigue and Kayla McHugh from the Lionettes Dance Team.
In addition, 14 teams will be dancing in the Pep Rally, which is one of the highlight events during THON, and student-athletes from numerous teams also will participate in the Athlete Hour. The football program will host approximately 35 THON families at the Lasch Building, in conjunction with the THON Explorers Program Saturday.
Every school day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer. Cancer kills more children in the United States than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and pediatric AIDs combined and the cumulative average cost of cancer treatment for one child is $500,000, according to THON.org.
Since 1977, THON has partnered with The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital with one goal in mind: conquering childhood cancer. To date, more than $168 million has been raised by THON, including more than $10.6 million in 2019, and at least 95 percent of the funds raised at THON are donated directly to Four Diamonds.
Each year, more than 400 Penn State student organizations and approximately 16,500 student volunteers dedicate their time to THON, making it the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.
This year's THON marks the 13th year of the event in the Bryce Jordan Center, having previously being held in the HUB, White Building and Rec Hall.
Check back Penn State Athletics' social media accounts for additional coverage of SAAB's participation in THON during the weekend.
Students from the College of Communications will again produce a webcast of THON, available at www.THON.org/livestream.
For more information about Dance Marathon, go to www.THON.org.