Cassady Wallace’s mother is a radiation therapist at the Hershey Medical Center, working with patients with cancer every day.
Wallace said there’s a certain energy her mom brings home when she works with a child.
“Some days she would come home, and I could just tell she was upset, and I would ask why, and she would tell me about how it’s so upsetting that she has to treat children with cancer,” she said. “They’re usually really well-behaved, but they don’t deserve what they’re going through. I made it a point to fight for this, and that’s why I’m dancing.”
Wallace will join hundreds of students who will stand on Friday and won’t sit down until Sunday for Penn State’s THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy.
It will be 46 hours of staying awake. Sitting and sleeping will not be allowed for the dancers, as they go through a physical and mental feat to raise money for Four Diamonds, an organization providing emotional and financial support to families who have been impacted by childhood cancer.
Wallace graduated from Cedar Crest High School and is now a junior studying kinesiology at the Penn State Berks campus. She’s a member of Berks Benefitting THON, which held an essay and interview process to decide who will be going to University Park.
Wallace said she was ecstatic when she found out she would be going.
“I was just so filled with energy, joy, all that stuff,” she said. “I was so excited to be able to represent these amazing families.”
Penn State’s 2024 THON raised $16,955,683.63 for Four Diamonds. They hope to beat their own record each year.
Also representing Lebanon County at the Bryce Jordan Center will be Morgan Spagnolo, a Palmyra graduate now studying biobehavioral health at the University Park campus.
Instead of being chosen to represent an organization, Spagnolo went through the extra-competitive lottery to become a dancer.
A team of two must raise $3,500 to be entered once, and every additional $500 is another entry.
She said she and one of her best friends raised about $4,500, so she was surprised they were chosen. Some teams raise tens of thousands of dollars and are not selected through the lottery.
“Ever since we met, we talked about how much we wanted to dance, how much we wanted to raise money for a great cause,” Spagnolo said. “Being from the Hershey area, I’ve always heard about THON, but didn’t really know what it fully was until coming here, and then ever since I went freshman year, I was like, ‘Wait I need to dance.’”
THON dancers get advice to help them last the entire 46 hours. They’re told to cut out caffeine, limit sugar and eat healthy.
Spagnolo said she has been taking workout classes in the campus gyms and walking on the treadmill to strengthen her legs. She’s also bringing a tennis ball, fidget toys, and a mini football to play with during the downtime.
She said she’ll rely on her family and letters from friends to keep going.
But above all, she said she’s dancing for the cause.
“I’m in a THON committee, so every week we read a family story, which makes me feel what I’m doing is truly impactful,” Spagnolo said. “I might be in pain, but I’m sure the kids have felt much worse.”
Wallace also said she has been preparing for several weeks now. Along with following the healthy eating advice, she is also bringing compression socks and tape to help her legs.
They’ve both packed things that can help keep them fresh throughout the 46 hours without a shower — extra clothes, extra shoes, and toiletries.
But for Wallace, almost two full days on her feet is nothing compared to what the Four Diamonds families have gone through, and keeping their experience in mind will help her push through.
“There’s going to be families all around during THON weekend, so I can just look at them, think of their story, why they’re here, and then that’s why I’m here. I’m here to fight for a cure and to ultimately help these children with cancer,” Wallace said. “This might be hard for 46 hours, but these children have been doing it for longer. They’ve been fighting this for longer, so I can do it.”
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Build the future of local news.
Cancel anytime.
Monthly
🌟 Annual
- Fewer ads
- Member newsletters
- Exclusive events
- All monthly benefits
- Most popular option
- Make a bigger impact
Already a member? Log in here to hide these messages
Help build a better-informed Lebanon County. LebTown’s independent journalism keeps you connected to your community and the issues that matter most. Become a monthly or annual member to support our mission, or make a one-time contribution to expand our coverage. Cancel anytime.
