Football

The significance of Penn State’s meeting on Wednesday night against Michigan extends beyond another conference game as Rare Disease Day will be acknowledged.

The day will be celebrated prior to the tip, as Penn State’s Uplifting Athletes will host a push-up challenge. Penn State’s chapter will attempt to reach 7,000 push-ups in honor of the day. The event is open not only the Penn State football team, but to all Penn State fans and students as the group tries to match the nearly 7,000 rare diseases through push-ups.

Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization that associates with football programs at 14 different universities. Every campus’ goal is to raise awareness for the rare disease that each is assigned.

The challenge will begin one hour prior to gametime at 5:30 p.m. in Portal 31 of the Bryce Jordan Center. Attendees will also have the opportunity to buy the “Iron Lion” t-shirts, as well. Proceeds of the shirt sales will go directly to the Kidney Cancer Association, the disease sponsored by Penn State's chapter of Uplifting Athletes.

For fans and students who are unable to make the push-up challenge, they can participate in the cause virtually by using “#BTNLiveBig @UpliftingAth”. Uplifting Athletes will count push-ups through photos and videos fans tweet in order to achieve their goal.

During the 10 years of the chapter’s existence, it has raised over $700,000 with an excess of $110,000 coming just last year.