Another year, another record-setting fundraising total for Penn State’s THON and its efforts to support pediatric cancer patients and research.
THON 2026 raised $18,841,726.53 for the Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, the student-run philanthropy revealed on Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center. The announcement came following the conclusion of the annual 46-hour dance marathon that began at 6 p.m. on Friday, the culmination of a year of fundraising efforts.
The total surpasses the previous record of $17,737,040.93 set in 2025 and marks the fifth consecutive year with a new all-time highest total.
THON has now raised more than $272 million since partnering with Four Diamonds in 1977, ensuring that no pediatric cancer patient family at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital receives a bill. It has assisted more than 5,500 families while helping to build comprehensive care services for patients and families.
“This is our 49th year of partnership between THON and Four Diamonds, and there have been significant strides made during that time,” Suzanne Graney, executive director of Four Diamonds, said. “Survival rates have increased, which is fantastic. New treatments have been discovered and able to be put into our children’s lives to extend their lives and to make their lives better. But we still have work to do, and that’s why we’re here and will continue to be here until we have a time where we, as we like to say, dance in celebration because we found a cure.”
THON has grown to become a year-round endeavor that includes 16,500 student volunteers, Its fundraising year starts in July and along the way there are a number of events to raise money and to bring together Four Diamonds families — the THON 5K, Family Carnival and the 100 Days Til THON celebration among them. A mid-cycle two-week fundraising campaign, “Dream Forward,” which started in 2019, raised more than $2 million this year.
Everything leads up to THON weekend, the no-sleeping, no-sitting dance marathon that started in 1973 and permanently partnered with Four Diamonds as its sole beneficiary four years later. Its beginnings were humble, with the first event hosted in the HUB Ballroom lasting 30 hours and raising about $2,000.
It grew substantially in the years that followed, moving to the White Building, then Rec Hall and finally the Bryce Jordan Center in 2007. Since moving to Penn State’s largest indoor venue, the weekend has become a marquee event that at times sees the Jordan Center reach full capacity.
One of those times is the Saturday night pep rally featuring performances by Penn State sports teams. This year’s pep rally was emceed by former Nittany Lion football player and current New Orleans Saint Juwan Johnson and his wife, former PSU gymnast Chanen Johnson, who met at Penn State and have become social media stars as “Ju & Chan” documenting their family life.
The pep rally also featured appearances by new Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell and former quarterback/current assistant coach Trace McSorley, as well as video messages from Sue Paterno and former Penn State gymnast and Olympic medalist Stephen Nedoroscik.
It is one of many traditions that have grown up with THON over the decades. One of the more recent ones is the surprise Friday night performance by a national act. This year’s was indie pop and soul band Fitz and the Tanturms, which played a set that included hits like “Out of My League,” “The Walker,” “MoneyGrabber” and “HandClap.”
Those traditions continued throughout the weekend and into the final hours, when Four Diamonds families took to the stage to share emotional stories of their cancer journeys.
It all concluded with one last burst of music in the last hour, with popular cover band Go Go Gadjet energizing the crowd, before dancers finally got off their feet at 4 p.m. and the fruits of their efforts — the fundraising total — were revealed.
The total reveal wrapped up a weekend with the theme “Love Leads Forward.”
“We are proud to have love lead us forward for our families, volunteers and supporters, where people have the freedom to dream, inspire and incite passion for a future about childhood cancer alongside our sole beneficiary Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital,” THON 2026 Public Relations Director Vraj Patel said.
“This year’s celebration serves as hope for a better, brighter future filled with stories of our families, volunteers and supporters reaching important milestones in their life.”
