Continuing Nancy's Mission

Nancy Schepis Mallon first got involved in THON in 1986.  Her brand-new boyfriend, Steve Mallon, approaches her about joining him in a 48 hour no sitting, no sleeping Dance Marathon. To this day, Steve still reminds his kids that they did they danced for 48 hours, not the 46 hours that THON is today. The first year that Nancy and Steve danced together, they personally raised $1500!  Fueled by their desire to help families in need, they decided to dance together for a second time in THON 1987. 

In the summer of 2009 Nancy was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a degenerative brain disease and passed away on September 5th, 2009. 

Nancy’s dedication to helping others, and particularly her love of THON, live on through her three children. 

Her oldest daughter Sarah, who graduated in 2016 and got her masters degree in 2018, started her THON work as soon as she stepped on campus. Sarah spent her first two years at Penn State as a Dancer Relations Committee Member and fundraised heavily through her organization Ohana. When she was a junior she became a Captain and joined Family Relations. She served as the Bereaved Family Contact and helped families who lost their children to cancer. She had the unique mission of bringing the love, memory and legacy of the THON angels into the THON community. Sarah now works as a Middle School Counselor and is an advisor for their mini-THON.

Nancy’s middle child James is also very involved at Penn State. James is in the Army ROTC and will be commissioned as an officer in August. Throughout his time at Penn State, James has helped raise money for THON through ROTC.  James is currently a senior and is set to graduate in May. He is going to start his job at Chatham Financial in July outside of Philly. 

The youngest, Luke, is currently a sophomore at Penn State. He is studying business and followed in the footsteps of his older sister. As a Feshman, he was a Dance Relations Committee Member and is currently a Family Relations Captain and, just like Sarah, is a Bereaved Family Contact. 

THON has meant so much to the Mallon Family. For all the love and passion that everyone has poured in, THON has given it right back. Through incredible relations with friends and Four Diamond Families, through moments of pride and fulfillment, through it all THON has been a mission that’s given so much to the whole Mallon family. 

Nancy’s legacy of selflessness and love is survived by her children. Their dedication to THON and everything else they do is a living extension of Nancy and her life. This year to celebrate Nancy’s 55th birthday, please consider donating to THON.  The fight that Nancy and Steve engaged in during their time in college has been inherited by their children. Join Nancy and the Mallon family im fight so that one day we can dance in celebration.