Today marks the start of THON™ 2026! Across the Penn State community, students, alumni, and supporters are uniting once again to take action in the fight against childhood cancer. Coming off a record-high, where THON raised more than $17.7 million dollars last year for its sole beneficiary Four Diamonds, the Ignite The Fight campaign celebrates the start of its fundraising year and the THON community’s yearlong efforts in the fight against childhood cancer. Throughout July, the campaign will unveil multiple fundraising challenges and initiatives on the @pennstatethon Instagram account that invites supporters to enter incentive lotteries that credit an organization or Independent Dancer Couple (IDC) of their choice. From social media challenges to DonorDrive incentives, July is packed with opportunities to raise awareness and funds all For The Kids®.
Ignite the Fight 2026 Event Lineup
Starting today, follow the steps in the caption of the @pennstatethon Instagram post to be entered into a lottery for a chance to win crediting funds.
During this time, any student or alumni volunteer who creates a DonorDrive page will be entered into a lottery to win crediting funds towards the organization or IDC of their choice. There will also be opportunities to receive additional entries which will be showcased on the @pennstatethon Instagram.
Mark your calendars for the first matching day of THON 2026! Beginning at 8AM EST, every 3rd donation will be matched up to $100 until funds run out. Starting at 6PM EST, every other student donation up to $10 will be matched until funds run out.
THON Nation allows non-student supporters to fundraise on behalf of THON with their own DonorDrive page. Any Primary Chair who registers a THON Nation page during this time will be entered to win crediting funds toward the organization or IDC the page benefits.
On the final day of July, visit @pennstatethon on Instagram to recap the impactful efforts of the Ignite the Fight campaign. July is only the start, so it is also the perfect time to Share Your Spark for THON 2026. By sharing your story, you can inspire others to join the fight against childhood cancer.
Ignite the Fight is just the beginning of a year filled with opportunities to make a difference. As we embark on this journey, we are reminded of the power of community and the collective impact we can have. Each dollar raised, every event planned, and all the time volunteered contributes to something far greater than ourselves. Our commitment today lays the groundwork for the change we’ll see tomorrow. This is only the beginning, and the impact we make starts now!
To ensure that THON is able to donate 96 cents of every dollar raised to Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, we heavily rely on donor support. These donations provide us the resources to create endless memories for our Four Diamonds families & foster a deep love & connection to our mission for our volunteers through Pre-THON Events, alternative fundraisers, & THON Weekend.
