If you’ve read any of my past blogs, you’ve probably realized that I absolutely adore THON. If you haven’t, and have no idea what THON is, THON is a 46 hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon that raises money and awareness for pediatric cancer research and treatment.
THON is kind of a huge deal at Penn State, and tons of events work to build excitement for that beloved weekend in February throughout the year. One of the biggest celebrations is the 100 Days ‘Til THON celebration that’s held exactly 100 days before the kickoff of THON weekend!
This event takes place in the HUB and is full of musical guests, dance performances, music, food and most importantly, reminders of why we’re here: for the kids.
The energy in the HUB was electric as some of Penn State’s most talented acts competed for a chance to entertain people dancing during THON weekend as a part of the THON’s Got Talent event, where musical performers were chosen for THON weekend.
This year’s 100 Days celebration gave volunteers the opportunity to donate their hair to create wigs for those who lost their hair during their treatments. Some students even grew their hair out for the past two years so they could help make a difference in a child’s life.
One of the most impactful moments of THON is hands down when families of children who won their battle with pediatric cancer, are still fighting it, or unfortunately lost their battle, speak about their battles. The family speaker at 100 Days helped take us away from the craziness of our own lives and remind THON volunteers of how important our fundraising efforts and how much our support really means to these families.
To close out a successful 100 Days celebration, hundreds of people flocked to Old Main lawn where we posed to a human picture which usually spells out a word of encouragement. To go along with this year’s theme “Igniting Hope Within,” the word was HOPE, which is exactly what THON brings to the world.
THON has made strangers friends and turned friends into families, making it one of the most magical things about Penn State. We won’t stop fighting until there’s a cure! We’ll see you in less than 100 days BJC!
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