Alpha Theta Chapter at Penn State University just concluded a very successful THON 2024.
THON is the world’s largest student-run philanthropy where there is a year-round effort at Penn State to raise money & awareness for the treatment and research of pediatric cancer. In mid-February, THON takes place in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) with a 46-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon where in the end, the total raised for THON that year is revealed. The money raised ensures no family in the 4 Diamonds program has to see a single medical bill during their child’s treatment and funds research to pediatric cancer which is one of the most underfunded areas of cancer research. In addition, these families who get their treatment paid for have the option to get paired with organizations like OPhiA to have extra support through their treatment.
Alpha Theta Chapter President Maxine Cox shared a great update on the success of this year’s event.
This year Alpha Theta had members/alum Emma Holinsky, Ashley Taurd, Maxine Cox, Isabel Rivera, and Laura Komar serving on the THON board. Working together to organize fundraisers, events, and support for the families we are paired with whose treatment is fully paid for by the money raised from THON, we were able to raise a total of $19,478.02 all for the kids!
Despite having fewer members fully participating in THON through OPhiA this year compared to last year, we were able to increase the total funds raised for 2024 by nearly $2,000 compared to 2023!
In addition to this, we had 2 dancers who represented OPhiA on the floor of the BJC not leaving, sitting, or sleeping the ENTIRE weekend – Mia Petrucela and Kate Sarsfield. Dancing is a huge accomplishment and shows lots of strength and courage from our dancers and we are so proud of them for standing for the full 46 hours and fighting for a cure!
From Friday through Sunday, we all enjoyed standing with our sisters and the fellow organizations who helped us fundraise, sharing smiles and laughs, doing themed hours to represent and honor our families and the children our families have lost, and providing support to one of our families (who found out Friday morning that their daughters cancer might be back and she needs surgery on her lungs).
THON is something extremely difficult to describe and sum up in words unless you have been there and seen firsthand the impact it has on the Penn State community and the families we support through their battles with pediatric cancer.
Overall, the Penn State Community was able to raise $16.95 million for THON 2024, which is not only a record in Penn State THON history, but almost a full $2 million more than what was raised last year.
We are so proud of our members who danced, who helped fundraise, who were on committees that helped check on dancers, serve meals to dancers and families and so much more and we can’t wait to further support our families and raise even more money in the coming years!