UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Athletics will again be heavily involved with the 51st IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) held at the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend.
THON's 700+ dancers, including six student-athletes, will begin standing at 6 p.m. Friday and will 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 $40,000 for THON to assist in the fight against pediatric cancer.
Those wishing to assist in SAAB's fundraising efforts and help a great cause by donating directly to THON can do so by visiting https://bit.ly/42FjZsM.
Six Penn State student-athletes will represent SAAB as dancers:
- Quinn Menger (women's volleyball, senior, Powhatan, Va.)
- Brie Barraaco (field hockey, redshirt junior, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Van Danielson (men's soccer, junior, Columbia, Md.)
- Caroline Myers (field hockey, junior, Hartland, Wis.)
- Molly Martin (women's soccer, redshirt freshman, Acton, Mass.)
- Lauren Delgado (field hockey, graduate student, East Earl, Pa.)
Also dancing at THON will be Miranda Heffelfinger of the women's rugby club team and Nick Masterson of the men's rugby club team. In addition, 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 THON families at the Lasch Building, in conjunction with the THON Adventure Program Saturday.
Every school day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer. About 9,620 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2024. 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 $194 million has been raised by THON, including more than $15 million in 2023, 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 16th 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 https://thon.org/livestream.
For more information about the Dance Marathon, go to www.THON.org.