8: THON Weekend

Exactly 6 years ago, I was getting a calf massage on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center after spending 39 hours on my feet.  With 7 hours of sleep deprivation and cramps left ahead of me, I needed to find some extra motivation to keep going.

It was THON weekend 2013, and Jordan and I had been selected to “dance” in Penn State’s annual fundraiser for pediatric cancer.  This honor meant we would spend the entire weekend standing “For the Kids.”

As my body fought every temptation to sit down, I remained motivated.  I was fueled by the honor to dance, the friends and family by my side, the energy in the arena, and our yearlong fundraising efforts.  I also found inspiration from those in my life who’ve been impacted by cancer, the THON kids, and the THON families going through these tragic circumstances.  All of these things kept me on my feet through those final challenging hours. 

However, what I didn’t know back when I was dancing was how it would feel one day to be a parent. As a student, I couldn’t yet fathom the intense combination of love and fear that would one day come along with being Charlie’s dad.  I had no way of comprehending the time and energy that parenting would require on even the smoothest days, let alone how the slightest deviation to the routine could throw off everything.  I didn’t yet appreciate the financial, career, and personal sacrifices that parents make under normal circumstances just to keep their children healthy and happy. 

Therefore, I couldn’t begin to imagine the degree in which a sick child would flip everything upside down. Seeing it from this new angle, I have an even greater admiration for the moms and dads who muster the courage to battle these challenging circumstances on a daily basis. They’ve got to be some of the strongest people in the world.

Now, as I look back and watch THON 6 years later, with a kid of my own, I get a different feeling.  I’m farther away from the event and the people participating in it, but what it represents hits closer to home than ever.  I’ve never been prouder to be part of the tradition. 

Cheers to all that danced (shout out to my boy, Jack Spinelli) and supported THON this year. We’ve raised another $10 Million, and continue to be part of something truly special.  Always remember, “One day we will dance in celebration, until then we will continue to dance for a cure.”