THON
this weekend my sister alissa will be participating in THON, a charity dance marathon hosted at Penn State University's main campus in State College, PA. the event raises funds and awareness for the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization which helps families of children with cancer pay for whatever treatments they may need through Penn State's medical system and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
beginning friday at 4pm and ending sunday at 4pm (yes, 48 hours) alissa will be on her feet and moving. while the participants will be provided with food and water and the necessary amenities, for 48 hours straight 700 students from all branches of PSU will be dancing, or trying to. she is not allowed to sit. she is not allowed to sleep. she is not allowed caffeine or pain medication. the idea behind THON is a showing of support and understanding for the families going through this: when your child has cancer, you don't think of your own needs. when your child is in the hospital receiving treatment, you do not sleep. the students involved in THON are awake with those families; they are exhausted like those families; but they are dancing for hope.
each participant has a cheerleader called a "moraler" who keeps them upbeat and going, and each participant has a set number of floor passes they can reserve for friends and family who wish to cheer them on or dance alongside them. i will be heading up to State College, PA saturday morning to join her, and to drive her jellylike self back to Hershey after the finale on sunday. i will dance as long as i can.
at 4am on sunday, with twelve hours to go and with everyone nearing a breaking point, there is a "mail call" - things snail-mailed or e-mailed to the participants via the THON website by a certain date are delivered to the dancers to give them a boost. this deadline has passed - however, if you would like to send any messages along to my sister, comment or e-mail by 7am saturday and i can hand-deliver them. any and all support is greatly appreciated!
and otherwise, keep my sister and her 699 counterparts in your thoughts this weekend, as well as everyone for whom they are dancing or may dance in the future. and of course, if you have a moment this weekend, you can always do a little dance yourself for hope.
thank you!
beginning friday at 4pm and ending sunday at 4pm (yes, 48 hours) alissa will be on her feet and moving. while the participants will be provided with food and water and the necessary amenities, for 48 hours straight 700 students from all branches of PSU will be dancing, or trying to. she is not allowed to sit. she is not allowed to sleep. she is not allowed caffeine or pain medication. the idea behind THON is a showing of support and understanding for the families going through this: when your child has cancer, you don't think of your own needs. when your child is in the hospital receiving treatment, you do not sleep. the students involved in THON are awake with those families; they are exhausted like those families; but they are dancing for hope.
each participant has a cheerleader called a "moraler" who keeps them upbeat and going, and each participant has a set number of floor passes they can reserve for friends and family who wish to cheer them on or dance alongside them. i will be heading up to State College, PA saturday morning to join her, and to drive her jellylike self back to Hershey after the finale on sunday. i will dance as long as i can.
at 4am on sunday, with twelve hours to go and with everyone nearing a breaking point, there is a "mail call" - things snail-mailed or e-mailed to the participants via the THON website by a certain date are delivered to the dancers to give them a boost. this deadline has passed - however, if you would like to send any messages along to my sister, comment or e-mail by 7am saturday and i can hand-deliver them. any and all support is greatly appreciated!
and otherwise, keep my sister and her 699 counterparts in your thoughts this weekend, as well as everyone for whom they are dancing or may dance in the future. and of course, if you have a moment this weekend, you can always do a little dance yourself for hope.
thank you!