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About

Atlas THON

The Atlas THON team was founded in September 2005 on a floor of Atherton Hall. We were founded in the principles of scholarship and community service while making friends and having fun. Our primary purpose is to raise money for the annual Penn State Dance Marathon (THON).

4 THE KIDS

Last year, we raised over $215,000 to fight pediatric cancer — the greatest amount ever for an independent team — but our biggest accomplishment so far has been helping our THON children, Victoria Smith and Claire Brobson.

Penn State Dance Marathon (THON)

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, commonly referred to as THON, is a 46-hour dance marathon that takes place every February at the Pennsylvania State University with the purpose of raising money to combat pediatric cancer. It was started in 1973 by the University’s Interfraternity Council, and in its first year, more than $2,000 was raised, with 39 couples dancing for 30 hours straight. Today, it is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising $6,615,318.04 at the 2008 event. The total from 2008 allowed the overall amount donated to the Four Diamonds Fund to reach more than fifty million dollars.

THON Cheer

The money that is raised is donated to The Four Diamonds Fund, a charity devoted to defeating pediatric cancer through research and caring for patients at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children’s Hospital. More than 10,000 students get involved in the event each year, organizing it and raising funds with the rallying cry, “FOR THE KIDS!”.

Pediatric Cancer

Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cellular growth and caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. Cancer may affect people at all ages. In the United States in 2007, approximately 10,400 children under age 15 were diagnosed with cancer and about 1,545 children will die from the disease1. The causes of childhood cancers are largely unknown.

  1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2007. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society. Retrieved December 26, 2007, from http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2007PWSecured.pdf. ↩