This is the promo video for THON 2012, featuring footage from THON 2011.
Over 15,000 student volunteers. A 46-hour dance marathon. Singing for a cure. Dancing for a cure. Celebrating for a cure. Fighting for a cure.
The final countdown: 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Everyone holds his or her breath. You could hear a pin drop in the packed Bryce Jordan Center for that brief moment and the numbers began to go up. The moment of truth…
$10,686,924.83.
You read that right - 10.69 MILLION DOLLARS raised by a single university… by the single largest student-run philanthropy in the world, in less than one year.
The BJC erupts in cheers and tears of joy… of pride… suddenly re-energized after an exhilarating, exhausting weekend.
In the previous 46 hours leading up to the final reveal I had never been more moved by anything in my life. I watched my university come together and rally around a cause. I witnessed my university of some 40,000 students show the world who we really are - a family. A family who, in spite of the negativity and shadow forced upon us due to the events that occurred just a semester prior, was showing the world what we really stand for.
For those that are unfamiliar, THON is a 46-hour annual dance marathon run by the students of Penn State University. According to the THON website (www.thon.org), the mission of the PSU Dance Marathon “is to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to children, families, researchers, and staff of The Four Diamonds Fund.”
The Four Diamonds Fund is there to offset the cost of treatment that insurance does not cover and is part of Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. It is the sole beneficiary of THON’s fundraising. Since THON’s beginning in 1973, Penn State has contributed over $78 million to the Fund (www.thon.org).
This past weekend I was moved to tears listening to the stories of the families that benefit from the Fund, the outpouring of support and dedication my school had for these families, and the strength my school had to stay focused on what Penn State really stands for in light of overwhelming scrutiny.
There were lessons to be learned this weekend in the BJC.
I saw the beauty of the human spirit. This weekend opened my eyes to the positive impact a group of people can have on the lives of others - be it on a large scale such as THON, or a smaller personal scale. I witnessed the beauty of compassion and of the human soul - the warmth that can grow within you simply by bringing warmth to the lives of others who are fighting a harder battle.
I saw the perseverance of the human spirit - in the children and the families being uplifted, in the students supporting them, and in the Penn State family that did nothing short of dispelling people’s misinformed perceptions of what we stand for.
For 46 hours, children and family who have been long battling deadly illnesses were free of worries. They danced, smiled, and participated in activities with the knowledge that all of it was being done for them… because people cared about them and believed in their strength to carry on. What a feeling that must be. It was an unbelievable display of living life to the fullest… of cherishing every moment.
This weekend was a reaffirmation that in a world of pain and strife, internal beauty and compassion remain. In a world where it is far easier to “sweat the small stuff” and be consumed by personal obstacles, people still see the bigger picture - even if it just for a weekend. In a world where too many are too quick to turn a blind eye, some 15,000 students rallied together to make a difference. The only reward they would reap from their efforts was the smile on the Four Diamonds children’s faces and the solemn knowledge that they were contributing to something bigger than them.
According to the THON website, it costs $800 to spend one day in the lab in search of a cure. That means that this year Penn State has provided roughly 13,359 days of research.
When we say, “We Are,” this is what we mean. We dance to brighten every journey.
One day we will dance in celebration, but until then we dance for a cure… And together we will find one.
We are Penn State… and we are THON.
For The Kids.
I knew thon was a big thing here at Penn State, but it was far above and beyond what I had expected. This year was the first year I experienced thon. I have never seen so many different people come together for a cause, and a great cause at that. This past weekend was a great example of the Penn State family, despite the events of the last few months.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this gave me chills because it made me remember what exactly it felt like being at Thon. It was my first experience and I dont think anyone realizes how amazing this experience is without going to it. The entire thing was one of the best experiences of my life. It made me appreciate life so much more and made me want to help those who are sick. I wish that everyone that criticizes penn staters could have the opportunity to attend Thon and see what PSU is really about. We are a family and we all united to do something completely selfless for children with cancer and everyone was so enthusiastic about it! It was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that, personally, beyond donating some money, I am not very involved in Thon. Mostly my own choice. The whole thing really just isn't for me. Don't get me wrong, I think it's amazing and I was at the BJC for about an hour to get a feel for it. It was very moving. I thought it was awesome that even those watching the dancers are asked to stand in support. I can only imagine what it was like when the numbers for the 10.6mil went up.
ReplyDeleteI don't want yu to misunderstand, I'm not against Thon, that would be heartless and ridiculous, it's just not my kinda thing. I'm not nearly spirited enough to support it in that way, so I did my best to help out financially which I feel like is equally as important as the event itself.
Who knows, maybe next year I'll find myself more involved.