This year is a hybrid event, so children undergoing active treatment, and anyone who can’t be in the center of Bryce Jordan, can still watch from their homes or hospital beds.
This Saturday at 19:00 there will be a presentation of ABC 7 New York “THON – 50 Years For The Kids”, a special program created by our related station 6abc in honor of THON State of Pennsylvania, the world’s largest student philanthropy.
For five decades, THON has held a dance marathon that now stands at 46 hours to raise money for children battling cancer. The very popular and successful initiative, which began in 1973, has raised more than $ 190 million.
All money raised benefits Four Diamonds at Pennsylvania Children’s Hospital, the exclusive broadcast insurer, in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Leading “THON – 50 years for children”. 6abc Walter Perez, Alicia Vitarelli and Dusis Rogers.
For children
THON aims to save the lives of children, and what better way to start than to hear from those who have been saved.
THON’s donations go to helping students get closer to fighting cancer in childhood.
Alicia shares how THON helps save lives every minute of the dance.
50 years of THON
Both THON and Four Diamonds were founded half a century ago.
But it took five years before the two organizations came together to form a partnership that could literally change the world for children with cancer.
Dusis Rogers tells the story of that historic merger.
Meet the dancers
For those who sign up for dance, THON Weekend is a test of endurance.
You can’t sleep or sit in a 46-hour dance marathon.
We spoke to five dancers – Reilly Burton, Matthew Ross, Caroline Newman, Emily Daddy and Zach Long – all seniors at the University of Pennsylvania who say it’s worth it because it’s for the kids.
Students who plan it all
One THON weekend takes almost a year of previous work.
When performing at the highest level every year one can easily forget that the organizers are not professionals.
An executive committee of sixteen heads the case.
Dusis meets some stars behind the show.
The story of the origin of the four diamonds
Charles and Irma Millard founded the Four Diamonds Foundation in 1972, hours after their 14-year-old son Christopher died of cancer.
Christopher wrote the story of his three-year battle with illness, which depicts a knight opposing an evil and unpredictable witch.
To win, the knight needed courage, wisdom, honesty and strength – attributes that Christopher called the Four Diamonds.
That’s how his parents decided to name the fund they created in his memory.
Watch “THON: 50 Years for Kids” on Channel 7 and wherever you broadcast abc7NY on Saturday at 7pm
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