Christopher Cinque

Make a difference in the life of a child. 

Every day, 43 parents receive the worst news in the world, that their child has cancer. These families will have to adjust to a lifestyle of hospital visits, medical tests, and round after round of chemotherapy treatment. Thanks to the Four Diamonds Fund, one thing these families will not have to worry about is how they will pay for life saving treatment for their child. Since 1977, Penn State THON has raised over 180 million dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund, providing comprehensive care for over 4,000 families and funding critical research to search for a cure so that one day no family will have to hear the words “Your child has cancer”. 

THON is a 100 percent student run philanthropic organization that raises money to support the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children’s Hospital. Every year, a year’s worth of fundraising efforts culminate in a 46 hour no sitting no sleeping dance marathon in February to celebrate those who have survived, remember those who have lost their battle, and stand in hope that one day we will be dancing in celebration of a cure. Although THON cannot take place in person this year due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, Four Diamonds and Penn State still plan to do everything possible to deliver a virtual THON weekend to celebrate another years worth of effort in the fight against pediatric cancer. 

For the last ten years, the Penn State Professional Golf Management Program, has been paired with the Tyler Truex family. In 2008 and 2011 Tyler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He is currently in the 10th grade, is a chair in his school's Mini-THON, loves soccer and has older and younger brothers named Ray and Gabe. To this day Tyler has been off treatment for 6 years!

Two years ago, PGM THON paired with Penn State Club Equestrian. In addition to having all the resources of a second organization to set up paired fundraisers, PGM THON also was connected with PSET’s THON family, the Alex Smith family. Alex was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2015. Alex rang the bell at Hershey Medical Center in May of 2019 and as of today is almost a year and a half off treatment! She enjoys creative design and will be graduating high school next spring! 

As a recent alumni of the Professional Golf Management Program and 2020 THON Dancer, I am proud to continue the fundraising efforts on behalf of the PGM Program and supporting the Tyler Truex and Alex Smith Families. Throughout my time at Penn State, THON was a passion of mine. I was involved with THON from my freshman year where we went canning on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, all the way to my senior year where I was fortunate enough to represent PGM on the floor as a dancer for THON 2020, a record setting year for PGM & PSET THON, as we finished as a top-four general organization in our fundraising efforts. I am excited to continue fundraising for this amazing cause that means so much to me. Without an in-person THON weekend or ability to run established in person fundraisers due to the pandemic, THON will rely largely on virtual fundraising to raise money for THON 2021. With the help from people like you, Penn State Professional Golf Management is hoping for another record setting year despite less than ideal circumstances. Please consider donating to my page via the yellow button above, or share this link with friends and family so my message reaches as many people as possible.