Just after we stood for 46 hours For The Kids at THON Weekend 2020 back in February, which seems like ages ago, news started breaking about a new disease spreading. I thought to myself, maybe it is not a big deal, but then little by little, business started to shut down until we were in lockdown and Penn State moved to online learning.
We have not witnessed a pandemic in our lifetime and after coming to terms with the magnitude of this health crisis I started to think about THON. How will we keep THON going and continue our support for its noble cause? We have started working on ways to raise funds For The Kids with the new health guidelines in mind. It is empowering how, even with a global pandemic, we have not given up on our mission. The pandemic has brought with it health risks and economic suffering for many. It became more important than ever to provide for these families and make sure that Penn Staters do not abandon our goal of preventing families impacted by childhood cancer from seeing a hospital bill. One can’t put into words how inspiring it is to see the new creative ways that PSU students have come up with to continue their support. From using social media in ingenious and clever ways to hosting outdoor fundraising events making sure to adhere to local health guidelines, it all shows how dedicated We Are to our mission and goal for THON. 2020 has proven that no virus has the power to stop us from making the future better For The Kids. There are many ways that one can individually help support THON during this pandemic. For example, take advantage of Donor Drive and encourage family and friends to also donate online. Below is a link to Donor Drive you can copy to share with friends and loved ones! Other ways may include utilizing social media to educate and inform family and friends about childhood cancer there is no wrong way to do this. Let your imagination run wild, but keep in mind the local health guidelines! Lastly, thank you Penn Staters for your efforts during these tough times, and thank you to all the THON Volunteers that are working hard to make everything happen.