Phoenixville Mini-THON Raises Nearly $8K for Cancer Research

Phoenixville Area High School’s first Mini-THON was a hit.

While the group of PAHS students who organized the all night dance marathon to fund pediatric cancer treatment and research, the March 1 event brought in nearly twice that amount.

According to PAHS math teacher and mini-THON supervisor Erik Rutchauskas, the final total raised was $7,800. The proceeds will go to the Four Diamonds Fund—a Hershey-based cancer support group that helps defray expenses insurance doesn't cover.

The fundraiser, modeled after Penn State’s THON, was planned by PAHS students Kyle Kobilka, Savannah Mudd (profiled here by Patch), Karlyn Small, Alex Monteiro, Kendall Kobilka, Alyse Phillips, and dozens of other Phantoms. 60 dancers stayed for the entire 12-hour event, which was held in the high school's gym.

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According to The Phoenix, the dancers got some special visitors. A Berks County family whose eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia as a toddler stopped by to speak with the young fundraisers.

“It was pretty emotional,” Kobilka told the paper. “It exemplified why we were there.”