Just after her family relocated to Pennsylvania in 2014, Theresa Illicete was diagnosed with osteoblastic osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that develops in the osteoblast cells.
WHYY
By
Jade Campos, WPSUFebruary 16, 2021
Penn State THON executive leaders have been preparing to make the transition to a virtual event all year. While things will look different, they re hoping THON will look as close to normal as possible. (Sam Koon/Penn State THON)
This story originally appeared on WPSU.
THON starts this Friday. Most years, thousands of Penn State students gather in the Bryce Jordan Center for the 46-hour dance marathon to raise money for families affected by childhood cancer. But because of COVID-19, this year’s event will look very different.
Mary Illicete learned her daughter had cancer in 2014, when Theresa was 9 years old. Illicete says she watched the disease steal away her daughter’s childhood. But she was able to get part of it back through THON.