Campus Life

THON 2018 raises $10.1 million for fight against childhood cancer

THON 2018 culminated with the final reveal of $10,151,663.93. Proceeds go to support for pediatric cancer patients and cancer research at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. Credit: Maddie Almer. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's THON 2018 has raised $10,151,663.93 for Four Diamonds at Penn State Children's Hospital.

THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raises money to fight pediatric cancer.

THON 2018 culminated with the final reveal of $10,151,663.93. Proceeds go to support for pediatric cancer patients and cancer research at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. Credit: Maddie Almer. All Rights Reserved.

The Penn State Women's Ice Hockey team show their support for all the THON dancers and volunteers following their performance during the popular THON Pep Rally on the evening of Feb. 17. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancer Rachel Reiss opens dancer mail during the start of day-three at the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon. Dancer mail consists of cards and letters from family and well-wishers and is distributed to dancers at various times throughout the 46-hour event. Credit: Eleanor Whaley. All Rights Reserved.

Hospitality committee members, Maggie Treacy, left, and Helene Bloom, make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for hungry THON dancers on Sunday, Feb. 18. Credit: Erik Arroyo. All Rights Reserved.

A supportive and raucous crowd danced in the stands to music by the band 'Red Hots' at THON 2018 on Feb. 17. Proceeds from THON support pediatric cancer research and 'Four Diamonds' fund families at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. Credit: Ben Lambert. All Rights Reserved.

Pat McKeon, a member of Merch committee, takes a turn with a hula hoop at THON Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Bryce Jordan Center. A variety of activities, games, special guests and performances keep the dancers busy and moving throughout the 46-hour event. Credit: Baidi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

THON dancer, Tyler Schoener watches one of the many performances on the Bryce Jordan Stage during THON 2018. Credit: Ina Yoo. All Rights Reserved.

The Nittany Lion guided a capacity crowd and all the THON dancers in a 'wave' during the annual THON Pep Rally on Feb. 17.  THON 2018 is rolling into day-three and the 46-hour event has been a great success. Credit: Madison Myer. All Rights Reserved.

The Penn State Men’s Gymnastics Team wins the THON Pep Rally for the best performance for the second year in a row at the Bryce Jordan Center on the evening of Feb. 17. Penn State athletes turn the tables during the annual Pep Rally and show their support for fellow students who are volunteering and dancing at THON. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State senior Alex Buckley participated in some squirt gun games with young Madison Mehalick during day-two at the Penn State Dance Marathon.   Credit: Stephanie Distasio. All Rights Reserved.

Trinity McCool, a member of the Dancer Relations Committee at THON 2018, receives a hug from Mike Herr, aka ‘Mike the Mailman’, on the dance floor at THON during day-two of the three-day event. Credit: Lexi Lehman. All Rights Reserved.

Logan Bryan, 8, left, and Ethan Muñoz, 13, pose for photos former Nittany Lion and current Pittsburgh Steeler Jesse James during the THON Explorers program at the Lasch Football Facility on February 17.  Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

Stefen Wisniewski, former Penn State center and current world champion Philadelphia Eagle, helped 'Four Diamonds' child Chris Moore try on a Nittany Lion helmet during a special THON Explorers event hosted by Penn State athletes Feb. 17 at the Lasch Football Building. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State's Urban Dance Troupe performs on the THON stage on the afternoon of Feb. 17. Bands, dance companies, and special guests take to the THON stage throughout the three-day event. Credit: Yi Rong. All Rights Reserved.

Olivia Chunka, a junior majoring in applied and industrial mathematics at Penn State, passes some time blowing soap bubbles during day-two at THON 2018.  Volunteers provide a variety of activities that allow dancers to stay busy throughout the three-day event. Credit: Yi Rong. All Rights Reserved.

Muriel Dean, left, and Elliot Dean, a THON kid, pose for a photo during THON 2018 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center on the evening of Feb. 16. The Dean's have been a 'Four Diamonds' family since 2016. Credit: Chushi Hu. All Rights Reserved.

The Nittany Lion joined performers '3AM Tokyo' on the stage at the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon during the first evening of the three-day event. THON volunteers and supporters nationwide participate throughout the year in various events that give hope and support to families battling childhood cancer, culminating with the 46-hour dance marathon. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancers, Danielle Pestyner, left, and Jess Herman, both seniors at Penn State, take a few selfies during the first night of the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon. 16,500 student volunteers and dancers have been working diligently over the past year to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. Credit: Chushi Hu. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State football coach James Franklin welcomed all dancers, volunteers and families to the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon, and provided a few words to motivate and fire-up the crowd on the first evening of the three-day event at the Bryce Jordan Center. Credit: Anqi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Relations member, Danielle Barrasse, center, a senior from Scranton, Pa,. teaches the THON 2018 line dance to a capacity crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center during the first evening of THON on Fri Feb. 16. Credit: Sam Marzullo. All Rights Reserved.

The 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon is underway and the Bryce Jordan Center is packed with dancers, volunteers and a supportive crowd. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Krodel, a 'Four Diamonds' family member, dances with Olivia Rombold, a THON dancer representing R & R Captain, during day-one of the three-day Penn State Dance Marathon at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center Feb. 16. Credit: Anqi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

Mandy Lee, lead singer of the band, MisterWives, performs at THON 2018. MisterWives was one of the first of many bands who will take the stage at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center throughout the weekend.  Credit: Sam Marzullo. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Thomas Reuther gives high fives through the human tunnel leading into the Bryce Jordan Center for THON 2018. The human tunnel is the traditional way that all THON dancers enter the venue for the 46-hour event. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Kelsey Marr, a Penn State senior, hugs her friends as she makes her way through the human tunnel to the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, Feb. 16.  Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

THON 2018 culminated with the final reveal of $10,151,663.93. Proceeds go to support for pediatric cancer patients and cancer research at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. Credit: Maddie Almer. All Rights Reserved.

The Penn State Women's Ice Hockey team show their support for all the THON dancers and volunteers following their performance during the popular THON Pep Rally on the evening of Feb. 17. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancer Rachel Reiss opens dancer mail during the start of day-three at the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon. Dancer mail consists of cards and letters from family and well-wishers and is distributed to dancers at various times throughout the 46-hour event. Credit: Eleanor Whaley. All Rights Reserved.

Hospitality committee members, Maggie Treacy, left, and Helene Bloom, make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for hungry THON dancers on Sunday, Feb. 18. Credit: Erik Arroyo. All Rights Reserved.

A supportive and raucous crowd danced in the stands to music by the band 'Red Hots' at THON 2018 on Feb. 17. Proceeds from THON support pediatric cancer research and 'Four Diamonds' fund families at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. Credit: Ben Lambert. All Rights Reserved.

Pat McKeon, a member of Merch committee, takes a turn with a hula hoop at THON Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Bryce Jordan Center. A variety of activities, games, special guests and performances keep the dancers busy and moving throughout the 46-hour event. Credit: Baidi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

THON dancer, Tyler Schoener watches one of the many performances on the Bryce Jordan Stage during THON 2018. Credit: Ina Yoo. All Rights Reserved.

The Nittany Lion guided a capacity crowd and all the THON dancers in a 'wave' during the annual THON Pep Rally on Feb. 17.  THON 2018 is rolling into day-three and the 46-hour event has been a great success. Credit: Madison Myer. All Rights Reserved.

The Penn State Men’s Gymnastics Team wins the THON Pep Rally for the best performance for the second year in a row at the Bryce Jordan Center on the evening of Feb. 17. Penn State athletes turn the tables during the annual Pep Rally and show their support for fellow students who are volunteering and dancing at THON. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State senior Alex Buckley participated in some squirt gun games with young Madison Mehalick during day-two at the Penn State Dance Marathon.   Credit: Stephanie Distasio. All Rights Reserved.

Trinity McCool, a member of the Dancer Relations Committee at THON 2018, receives a hug from Mike Herr, aka ‘Mike the Mailman’, on the dance floor at THON during day-two of the three-day event. Credit: Lexi Lehman. All Rights Reserved.

Logan Bryan, 8, left, and Ethan Muñoz, 13, pose for photos former Nittany Lion and current Pittsburgh Steeler Jesse James during the THON Explorers program at the Lasch Football Facility on February 17.  Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

Stefen Wisniewski, former Penn State center and current world champion Philadelphia Eagle, helped 'Four Diamonds' child Chris Moore try on a Nittany Lion helmet during a special THON Explorers event hosted by Penn State athletes Feb. 17 at the Lasch Football Building. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State's Urban Dance Troupe performs on the THON stage on the afternoon of Feb. 17. Bands, dance companies, and special guests take to the THON stage throughout the three-day event. Credit: Yi Rong. All Rights Reserved.

Olivia Chunka, a junior majoring in applied and industrial mathematics at Penn State, passes some time blowing soap bubbles during day-two at THON 2018.  Volunteers provide a variety of activities that allow dancers to stay busy throughout the three-day event. Credit: Yi Rong. All Rights Reserved.

Muriel Dean, left, and Elliot Dean, a THON kid, pose for a photo during THON 2018 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center on the evening of Feb. 16. The Dean's have been a 'Four Diamonds' family since 2016. Credit: Chushi Hu. All Rights Reserved.

The Nittany Lion joined performers '3AM Tokyo' on the stage at the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon during the first evening of the three-day event. THON volunteers and supporters nationwide participate throughout the year in various events that give hope and support to families battling childhood cancer, culminating with the 46-hour dance marathon. Credit: Madison Myers / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancers, Danielle Pestyner, left, and Jess Herman, both seniors at Penn State, take a few selfies during the first night of the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon. 16,500 student volunteers and dancers have been working diligently over the past year to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. Credit: Chushi Hu. All Rights Reserved.

Penn State football coach James Franklin welcomed all dancers, volunteers and families to the 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon, and provided a few words to motivate and fire-up the crowd on the first evening of the three-day event at the Bryce Jordan Center. Credit: Anqi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Relations member, Danielle Barrasse, center, a senior from Scranton, Pa,. teaches the THON 2018 line dance to a capacity crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center during the first evening of THON on Fri Feb. 16. Credit: Sam Marzullo. All Rights Reserved.

The 2018 Penn State Dance Marathon is underway and the Bryce Jordan Center is packed with dancers, volunteers and a supportive crowd. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Krodel, a 'Four Diamonds' family member, dances with Olivia Rombold, a THON dancer representing R & R Captain, during day-one of the three-day Penn State Dance Marathon at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center Feb. 16. Credit: Anqi Wang. All Rights Reserved.

Mandy Lee, lead singer of the band, MisterWives, performs at THON 2018. MisterWives was one of the first of many bands who will take the stage at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center throughout the weekend.  Credit: Sam Marzullo. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Thomas Reuther gives high fives through the human tunnel leading into the Bryce Jordan Center for THON 2018. The human tunnel is the traditional way that all THON dancers enter the venue for the 46-hour event. Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

Dancer Kelsey Marr, a Penn State senior, hugs her friends as she makes her way through the human tunnel to the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, Feb. 16.  Credit: Georgianna DeCarmine. All Rights Reserved.

This year, THON ran from Feb. 16 to 18 as dancers stood for 46 hours without sleep at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The funds raised by THON are used to cover the treatment costs for pediatric cancer patients as well as supported cancer research.

Since 1977, THON has raised more than $146 million for Four Diamonds at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.

Last Updated February 19, 2018

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