Penn State Students Raise More Than $10 Million In Dance Marathon

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Hundreds of hardy Penn State students raised more than $10 million for pediatric cancer patients in the annual 46-hour dance marathon known as Thon.

The $10,045,478.44 total was announced Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, billed as the world's largest student-run philanthropy.

And the total for THON 2017 is... $10,045,478.44 pic.twitter.com/QatuqC6kle

— Penn State THON™ (@THON) February 19, 2017

Money raised benefits pediatric cancer patients and their families at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Child cancer survivors and their families also participate.

The dancers aren't allowed to sleep or even sit and are helped by thousands of other students in support roles.

The total was an increase over the $9.7 million raised last year. That total was significantly lower than the $13 million raised the year before and the record $13.34 million a year before that.