UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Tucker Haas was diagnosed with an aggressive form of sarcoma when he was just 2 years old. He became involved with Penn State as a Four Diamonds child when he was undergoing treatment, which began a 20-year journey with Penn State THON and the fraternity that became his adoptive family.
Today, Haas is a Penn State senior majoring in recreation, park, and tourism management at Penn State, and he is continuing his service to THON, the community, and most importantly, kids facing childhood cancer. He encourages other undergraduate students to pursue volunteer and service opportunities as often as they can.
As a student at Penn State, Haas became a brother with Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, the same leadership development fraternity that adopted him as a Four Diamonds child. He served as the THON family relations chair for Alpha Tau Omega during his junior year.
As the family relations chair, Haas helped the fraternity adopt a new Four Diamonds child, Gus, who has a similar form of sarcoma that Haas had as a child.
This year, Haas was one of the THON chairs for Alpha Tau Omega and participated as a dancer. He had the opportunity to dance with Gus at THON, just as he did as a child in treatment for cancer two decades ago.
“This year was a full circle moment,” Haas said. “For me, my cancer journey isn’t just a story, it’s my life. And while it’s a story that can impact a lot of people, it’s really cool that I can share a piece of my life with another kid who is living it, just like I did.”
As a patient at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, Haas’ treatments were supported by Four Diamonds, a nonprofit fund connected to the hospital that covers 100% of all medical expenses related to cancer care that are not covered by insurance for eligible children. Since 1977, THON has raised more than $200 million to support Four Diamonds families and fight childhood cancer.
After a spate of treatments and surgeries, Haas is cancer-free, but his journey with THON was far from over.
“This year, my 20th THON, I danced the 46 hours. I focused on being grateful for the past 20 years of what THON has given me,” Haas said. “Growing up, I had these brothers and sisters from Alpha Tau Omega that I looked up to and could turn to when things got hard. I knew they would always be there. Now as a student, I’m able to do that for someone else.”
Because of the University’s impact on his young life, Haas knew he wanted to come to Penn State for his undergraduate education and to continue his involvement with THON.
After graduation, Haas hopes to continue to share his story and help people through their own challenges. He has goals of becoming a motivational speaker and writing a book to share more about his cancer journey and the importance of resilience and hope.
He also plans to pursue a career in the sports industry. After completing internships at golf clubs during his time as an undergraduate student — one at River Run Golf Club in Berlin, Maryland, and another at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California — he is pursuing a position in golf management that will allow him to travel.
For Haas, the Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management program gave him the opportunity to pursue a career in the sports industry while also understanding the business and hospitality aspects of sports management. It was a major that also allowed him to continue to prioritize THON and providing service to children whose experience he can understand better than most.
“College is obviously about working hard in classes and getting good grades, but I have learned in my life that it is also important to prioritize service and giving back. You learn about yourself when you’re giving back to others. You grow as a person and come to understand the impact that you can have. That’s something you can’t live without,” Haas said.
“Being a Penn State student is an awesome opportunity and there are so many experiences to take advantage of. It can be overwhelming to put yourself out there, but I have found that Penn State is one of the most accepting places.”