What is THON? - How the Fund Supports Children and Their Families

About the Four Diamonds Fund | How the Fund Helps Children and Their Families
Chris' Story | The Four Diamonds Fund Website

Financial Support

The Fund offsets all expenses for the care and treatment of the children that is not paid for by insurance or other means. In addition, The Fund assists families with expenses that have the potential to disrupt the welfare of their child, such as car repairs, rent, or household utilities.

Medical Team Support

The Four Diamonds Fund supports staff members who provide comprehensive care through a world class team of pediatric oncologists, nurse specialists, social workers, child life specialists, a clinical nutritionist, a clinical psychologist, and even a music therapist.

Research Support

The Four Diamonds Fund has been actively involved in funding research conducted at Penn State College of Medicine through start-up grants for projects relating to the causes, prevention, treatment and cure for pediatric cancer.

In 1998, in an effort to expand its research potential, an initiative was launched to establish the Four Diamonds Research Institute at Penn State College of Medicine. The Research Institute was made possible in part because of a $5 million commitment from THON. THON was able to fulfill this pledge two years ahead of schedule because of its tremendous financial success!

At the Research Institute, two endowed chair positions have been established including endowed lab funding and two endowed research scholarships. The goal of the endowments is to positively impact the lives of children with cancer around the world, now and in the future. Dr. Ken Lucas holds the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon Chair for Pediatric Research and Dr. Barbara A. Miller holds the Christopher Millard Chair for Pediatric Research.

Because of the continued financial success of THON, The Four Diamonds Fund was able to establish a third research endowment in 2008. The goal of the Experimental Therapeutics Research Endowment is to increase the cure rate and decrease the side effects of pediatric cancer treatments. To read more about the new endowment, please visit: http://live.psu.edu/story/34652.

How Funds Are Raised

In 1977, The Four Diamonds Fund became the sole beneficiary of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. To date, THON has contributed more than $52 million to The Fund!

Inspired by THON at Penn State, dozens of high schools and middle schools across the state have held their own mini dance marathons and have contributed significantly to the Fund. During the 2006-2007 school year, 34 mini-thons raised more than $620,000 for The Fund.

Other sources of financial support include community events, corporate donors, foundations, and individuals committed to helping to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

How Funds Are Allocated

Committees consisting of Four Diamonds Advisory Board members and Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital staff, and administrators review medical allocations and other related expenses of Four Diamonds families. Once approved by the committees, expenses are referred to and approved by the Advisory Board and Children's Hospital staff.