[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CELEBRATING STUDENTS AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 
an incredible group of students at Penn State University who have 
helped raise money for pediatric cancer patients.
  THON is a year-long fundraising effort that culminates in a 46-hour 
dance marathon. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy event in 
the world and will help to financially support almost 5,000 families 
with children who are battling cancer.
  This weekend, students, staff, and volunteers filled the Bryce Jordan 
Center to raise awareness and money for the Four Diamonds Foundation. 
Over 700 THON participants danced for 46 hours straight.
  THON was first originated in 1973 by Bill Lear as a proposed dance 
marathon to raise money for a good cause. Mr. Speaker, 78 students 
participated, and over $2,000 was raised. Over 40 years later, more 
than $236 million has been donated, and not a single Four Diamonds 
family has received a medical bill. This year, THON raised over $18 
million.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the legacy that THON has established, and 
I am proud of the children and families who fight every day against 
pediatric cancer.

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