During the final four hours of THON, a wave of exhaustion may have rolled over you, or your body just stopped feeling anything at all. Yet when it ends, its not the exhaustion, the irregular sleeping schedules, the sore feet, or the painful performances by cover bands that stick with you. You take home inspiration and hope from survivors who courageously stand in front of thousands of us in the BJC to share their stories and how they conquered the scariest time of their lives.
You take home motivation from the families who share stories of lost battles. THON provokes a passion unmatched by anything else experienced at Penn State, which is why if you ask us, we're unable to properly put THON into words to do it justice.
When the total is revealed, you look around and understand the power of community. Every organization shows up in different colors and letters, but unites under one cause. When the total is revealed, it's almost impossible not to try screaming with what little voice you have left because all you want to do is celebrate everyone's efforts.
When the total is revealed, you drop all cares about whose shirts look the best, whose letters stand out, and who has the most creative theme. This year combined, Greek, General, and Interest organizations raised $10,045,478.44, bringing us closer to finding a cure for the disease taking more children's lives than any other disease in the United States. It means no more financial burdens for Four Diamonds families seeking medical care for their children diagnosed with cancer, and it means constant support for the kids, who have strength that will continue to surpass our own.
It marks the end of THON this year, but gives us a push to work that much harder for the next.
The final four forces us to remove ourselves from your own little world and reminds us of all the little superheroes fighting for their lives. When you leave the BJC after THON weekend, it's hard to forget that there are far more battles to be won, and that we can be a small, yet instrumental part in conquering them.
