Funding the fight against cancer

By SUSIE XU
Collegian Staff Writer

It's 7 p.m. Sunday, and the total amount of money raised through the 1999 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has just been announced. And every penny of the total will go directly to the Four Diamonds Fund of the Hershey Medical Center to aid families of children battling cancer.

"Whatever we announce at Thon goes to the Four Diamonds Fund, our only (beneficiary)," said Isaac Itenberg, overall financial chair.

Along with the amount Penn State donates through the event, the fund also receives support from other benefactors, including high schools in the Harrisburg and Hershey areas, which conduct dance marathons in the image of Penn State's.

Despite the fund's various donators, Thon provided 82 percent of the Four Diamonds Fund's financial sources in 1997 and 1998, said Kirsten Werme, Four Diamonds Fund coordinator.

The fund mostly distributes the money from all its donators to patient and family support and patient care providers, such as nurse specialists and social workers.

Some of the money also goes to fund research and administrative costs, which include salaries and special events held for patients and families.

With all its proceeds deposited into the fund, Thon finds other ways to cover the expenses of the services necessary to make the event successful.

Itenberg said most of the services are donated. For example, the food and drinks provided for the dancers, the cellular phones carried by the overall committee chairs and music are all free of charge.

"It's incredible how much the community really gets together and donates their services," Itenberg said.

Other expenses, such as T-shirts supporting the event, are sold at nonprofit prices, Itenberg said.

Because corporations and community businesses donate so many services to Thon, the organization formed a new corporate relations committee this year.

However, Gregory Welsch, overall corporate relations chair, said the committee's first priority is maintaining the crucial relationships between Thon and its sponsors.

By holding events such as golf tournaments and tailgating parties with corporations throughout the year, the committee builds partnerships with various businesses, including many national ones.

Because the committee has formed such strong relationships with the corporations, Welsch said the sponsors can trust their money is being spent in a worthwhile manner.

"Companies can choose to give their money to anyone, and they choose to give it to a student-run philanthropy -- that takes trust," Welsch said.

Brian Newmark, overall chair, said the new committee is responsible for the increase of corporate involvement in Thon this year.

"That committee has had a very good influence on our sponsors thus far," Newmark said.

Also new this year is an initiative to donate $5 million over five years to pediatric cancer research.

This initiative, which was decided upon by the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, the Thon overall committee and members of the Four Diamonds Fund, is a realistic amount, said Christopher Bach, overall operations committee chair.

"We're going after the root of the problem. We'll always be there for the families, but if we can find a cure, that would be fantastic as well," Bach said, adding the families in need will still receive the funding they need through the money raised.

In the past, less than 10 percent of Thon's earnings directly supported research. Starting this year, Thon will be able to donate $1 million for the next five years.

But because Thon has been so successful in the past, the total amount raised every year has not fully been used.

The money left over after the families' needs are met then goes toward an emergency fund, which covers any unforeseen expenses

The fund still will have enough money to cater to its first priority, maintaining care for its patients and their families.

Newmark added the level of commitment also is unparalleled and believes it will make the initiative extremely successful.

"We're putting ourselves at a national level with other fundraisers," he said.

"College students making a commitment of this sort is unprecedented in every way -- we're really excited."