UNIVERSITY PARK, CENTRE COUNTY - We are now 24 hours into THON 2013 and the party isn't even close to being over.
With thousands of Penn State students filling the Bryce Jordan Center, the big party is much more.
"It defines what my college experience has been. When people say Penn State this is what I think about. I think it's the most important thing I've done as a student," Penn State Senior Jake Alderoty says.
Since 1977 THON has raised more than $89 million for the Four Diamonds Fund and childhood cancer.
Dancers are now on day 2 of the 46 hour marathon, and the enthusiasm is still there.
"It's not that bad just trying to keep my mind off it. Playing alot of the games with the kids and water gun fights keeps my mind off of it," Alderoty says.
While the dancers admit to a little fatigue, they still have their eye on the bigger picture. The kids like 18 year old Morgan Fern, who has been coming to Thon for the last 14 years.
"It's very special to me because I'm happy that they're raising money for kids with cancer and its fun to see them having fun and dancing and stuff," Cancer survivor Morgan Fern says.
Morgan was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor when she was five years old. Her doctors said she had less than 2 years to live.
"She turned 18 last summer, and now she's graduating high school. It's a god send and we have a great support system at Hersey Med Center and coming here every year gives us a chance to forget about everything and have some fun and Morgan gets to act like a child again and so do I," Morgan's dad Clint says.
And Morgan says this event along with the help of the Four Diamonds Fund are big reasons why she was able to keep fighting.
"It's hard because I felt like I needed help and I'm glad I got it when I did," Morgan says.
With thousands of Penn State students filling the Bryce Jordan Center, the big party is much more.
"It defines what my college experience has been. When people say Penn State this is what I think about. I think it's the most important thing I've done as a student," Penn State Senior Jake Alderoty says.
Since 1977 THON has raised more than $89 million for the Four Diamonds Fund and childhood cancer.
Dancers are now on day 2 of the 46 hour marathon, and the enthusiasm is still there.
"It's not that bad just trying to keep my mind off it. Playing alot of the games with the kids and water gun fights keeps my mind off of it," Alderoty says.
While the dancers admit to a little fatigue, they still have their eye on the bigger picture. The kids like 18 year old Morgan Fern, who has been coming to Thon for the last 14 years.
"It's very special to me because I'm happy that they're raising money for kids with cancer and its fun to see them having fun and dancing and stuff," Cancer survivor Morgan Fern says.
Morgan was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor when she was five years old. Her doctors said she had less than 2 years to live.
"She turned 18 last summer, and now she's graduating high school. It's a god send and we have a great support system at Hersey Med Center and coming here every year gives us a chance to forget about everything and have some fun and Morgan gets to act like a child again and so do I," Morgan's dad Clint says.
And Morgan says this event along with the help of the Four Diamonds Fund are big reasons why she was able to keep fighting.
"It's hard because I felt like I needed help and I'm glad I got it when I did," Morgan says.
