The Home Page Network

At Penn State there is something that gets students even more excited than a football game. You may have even seen them canning in Tioga County.

The Penn State IFC Panhellenic Dance Marathon (more commonly known as THON) is a year-long fundraising and awareness campaign for children with pediatric cancer. THON is the largest student run philanthropy in the world. Throughout the year, students participate in different fund raisers, blood drives and canning weekends to raise money for children who are battling cancer.

However, it is not just the students who get involved. THON is celebrated by almost the entire campus in different ways. Biology professor, James Strauss, shaved his mustache that he has had since college in front of his class for $220 that was donated to THON.

We talked with THON Public Relations Director, Dana Giacobello, about why THON is so important and what makes it successful. She told us that students say it is the relationships built with the children that really powers THON.

In just over 35 years THON has raised over $101 million for the Four Diamonds Foundation with a record breaking $12.37 million in 2013. The year ends with a 46 hour long dance marathon in the Bryce Jordan Center known as THON Weekend. This year the marathon will take place February 21-23, 2014.

To our followers in Tioga County, If you would like to know more information and ways that you can donate to THON visit their website at www.thon.org. Be sure to stay with us as we continue to cover the marathon, release this years numbers and fight for a cure.