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Four
Diamonds Fund: The mission of
The Four Diamonds Fund
is to conquer
childhood cancer by
assisting children
treated at Penn
State Hershey
Children's Hospital
and their families .
Any family with a
child being treated
for pediatric cancer
at Penn State Hershey
Children's Hospital is
automatically eligible
for support. The Fund
has helped more than
2,000 families since
1972. Approximately
100 new families
receive support each
year. The Fund offsets
the cost of treatment
that insurance does
not cover, as well as
expenses that may
disrupt the welfare of
the child, such as car
repairs, rent, or
household utilities.
The Fund supports the
medical team that
cares for the children
and funds pediatric
cancer research
through start-up
grants and the Four
Diamonds Pediatric
Cancer Research
Institute.
THON
is the largest
student-run
philanthropy in the
world! The Penn State
IFC/Pan-Hellenic Dance
Marathon,
affectionately
referred to as THON,
raises money for the
Four Diamonds Fund. In
1973, a small group of
dedicated Penn State
students held the
first Dance Marathon.
That year, 39 dancer
couples participated
and raised $2,000.
Since then, THON’s
presence in the Penn
State community has
grown exponentially.
THON now has 15,000
student volunteers,
700 dancers, and has
raised more than $69
million, benefiting
The Four Diamonds Fund
at Penn State Hershey
Children’s Hospital.
The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic
Dance Marathon is not
the only organization
funding The Four
Diamonds Fund and its
fight against
pediatric cancer.
Schools across the
state and surrounding
region also hold multi-hour
dance marathons, or
Mini-THONs, to support
The Fund.
Mini-THONs, which
replicate THON on a
smaller scale, donate
the money raised
directly to The Four
Diamonds Fund. To
date, Tunkhannock
Area Middle School has
raised $11,216.06. Another
fundraising event will
be held on June 12,
2011. |
