Compiled by Andrew Newhouse
-- More than 10,000 Penn State students participate in THON events each year, including more than 700 dancers, 3,000 organizers and thousands of fundraisers.
-- This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Dance Marathon, and the first time it will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center.
-- THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.
-- Over the years, THON has raised more than $41 million for the Four Diamonds Fund to help more than 2,000 families of pediatric cancer patients.
-- Each year, about 90 new families receive support from the Four Diamonds Fund, which has never turned down a request for help from any child diagnosed with cancer at the Hershey Medical Center.
-- Dancers are served 10 meals over THON weekend, and Four Diamond Families are served five meals.
-- Pepsi donates 1,410 caffeine-free beverages and Irving's donates 3,500 bagels to participants at THON weekend.
-- THON is a year-long effort, kicked off each year in October with a 5 kilometer run.
-- In 2004, THON pledged more than $10 million over six years to finance a new pediatric cancer pavilion at the Hershey Medical Center.
-- A $2 donation is made to THON from the American Red Cross, which partnered with the student organization in 2001, for every unit of blood collected from January to THON weekend.
-- The first Penn State dance marathon lasted 30 hours and took place in 1973. A year later, the Dance Marathon was lengthened to 48 hours.
-- In 1976 THON adopted its first Dance Marathon theme: "Dance For Those Who Can't."
-- On its 15th anniversary, the Dance Marathon got its official name: THON.
-- In 1975, one couple danced the entire marathon, taking only a 51-second break.
-- The THON Webcast can be viewed in more than 30 countries.
For full coverage of THON, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/22394 online.