THON 2017 raises $10 million for childhood cancer

February 19, 2017

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's THON 2017 has raised $10,045,478.44 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 2017

A gallery of images, provided by Penn State student photographers, from the 46-hours of THON 2017 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. THON is a year-round fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against childhood cancer with proceeds going directly to Four Diamonds and the Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey.

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Mackenzie Cohen, a member of the dancer relations committee for THON 2017, gave a lift around the Bryce Jordan Center floor to her young friend Romeo during day-one of the Penn State Dance Marathon.

IMAGE: Madison White
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The three-days of THON 2017, the culmination of a year-round fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against childhood cancer, has come to a very successful conclusion.

IMAGE: Michelle Bixby
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Jena Dalykas, left, a Penn State senior majoring in marketing, and Dina Tennekoon, a senior majoring in telecommunications, read a letter from a THON child together early on day-three of THON 2017. Every dancer is provided an on-site mailbox and receives letters and cards of encouragement from family, friends, and Four Diamond children and their families throughout the weekend.
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IMAGE: Christy Xu
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The Penn State women’s soccer team performs on stage for a packed Bryce Jordan Center during the THON 2017 Pep Rally on the evening of Feb. 18. The rally is an annual highlight of the three-day event and really energizes the dancers, volunteers and crowd.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni
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The Penn State Men's Gymnastics team celebrates their first-place finish at the 2017 THON Pep Rally Talent Show. A variety of Penn State athletes entertained the Bryce Jordan Center crowd with dances, skits, songs and more.

IMAGE: Allyssa Long
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The Nittany Lion sprays the crowd with water after leading the large Bryce Jordan Center crowd in a 'Water Social' in the early hours of day-three of THON 2017. Dancers, families and volunteers have hit the home stretch of the 46-hour Penn State Dance Marathon.

IMAGE: Allyssa Long
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THON dancer John McDowell, a member of the 'Science LionPride ' THON dance group, kept busy by hitting a beach ball around the Bryce Jordan Center floor with fellow 'Science LionPride' team dancers during the final morning of THON 2017. Dancers are encouraged to stay active and moving throughout the three-day, 46-hour event.

IMAGE: Christy Xu
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RAM Squad (Raw Aesthetic Movements), a Penn State club that promotes hip-hop culture and freedom of expression through dance, performed at THON 2017 early on the morning of Feb. 19.

IMAGE: Christy Xu
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Samantha Vaughan, a senior at Penn State studying kinesiology, reacts as she gets her hair cut during the Hair Donation event at THON 2017 on the afternoon of Feb. 18.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni
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Volunteers at the THON hair donation show off their locks during day-two at the 46-hour event. The hair donations will be used to make wigs for cancer patients who have had chemotherapy.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni
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Mary Albus, Dancer Relations Captain, leads the rest of the Dancer Relation Captains for THON 2017, in the events official line dance at the Bryce Jordan Center on the afternoon of Feb. 18. A unique line dance is created specifically for each THON and occurs every hour, on the hour, to pump dancers up by stretching and performing aerobic, dance moves.

IMAGE: Rachel Johannes
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Nittany Lion running back Saquon Barkley high fives Leila Testa, 5, of Lancaster Pa., during the THON Explorers program held at the Lasch Building during THON 2017 on Saturday, Feb. 18. Leila’s brother Daniel, 8, is Delta Upsilon and Phi Sigma Sigma’s four diamonds child.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni
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A parachute run is just one of many activities to keep THON dancers busy throughout the 46-hour Penn State Dance Marathon. THON 2017 runs Feb. 17 through 19 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

IMAGE: Kyle Naylor
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THON family member Ava Bryans enjoyed spending time with the Nittany Lion mascot at the Penn State Dance Marathon on Saturday, Feb. 18. THON is a student-run philanthropy committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

IMAGE: Emily Overdorf
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Dancer Andrea Johnson participates in the line dance at THON 2017 during the first evening of the three-day event at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

IMAGE: Amanda Caplan
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Penn State football players Trace McSorley and Jason Cabinda encouraged and cheered on Four Diamond kids and their siblings competing in a lip sync performance contest during THON 2017 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

IMAGE: Madison White
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Layla Taremi, a THON dancer representing Rêve Dance Company, passed some time with a bubble maker at THON 2017 on Saturday, Feb. 18. THON dancers must remain standing throughout the 46-hour event. Proceeds from THON go to the families of pediatric cancer patients at the Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey, Pa.

IMAGE: Katie Mihelarakis)
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Sher Bhangra, a Penn State Bhangra dance team, performed on Saturday Feb. 18 at the 2017 Penn State Dance Marathon. The Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) is a student-run philanthropy that provides financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families through Four Diamonds at Penn State's Hershey Medical Center.

IMAGE: Javon Beverly
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Penn State Abington student Shannon Lynott dances during a performance by '3AM Tokyo' late on the first evening of the 2017 Penn State Dance Marathon.

IMAGE: Arif Aminuddin
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Joe Jonas and his band DNCE made a surprise appearance at the 2017 Penn State Dance Marathon early on the first evening of the three-day event at the Bryce Jordan Center Feb. 17.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni
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Dancer Giovanni Mineo III, representing Theta Delta Chi, receives a squirt to the nose from Zoey Howe, sister of THON Child Gavin Howe, during the first evening of THON 2017 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

IMAGE: Amanda Caplan
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Dancer Jim Tersak gave a lift to THON child Will Keim during the first evening of THON 2017 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center Feb. 17. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) raises money and provides emotional support to children and families battling pediatric cancer.

IMAGE: Jessica Boyd
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THON dancers Joel Clabuagh, left, Michael Brooks and Hannah Chamberlin participate in the first of many line dances during the first evening of the 2017 Penn State Dance Marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center.

IMAGE: Jessica Boyd
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THON weekend 2017 is officially underway at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. The Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) is a year-round fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against pediatric cancer.

IMAGE: Antonella Crescimbeni