On September 27th, a documentary “Why We Dance: The Story of THON” will air on WPSU-TV at 8 p.m. The documentary will give light to parts of the philanthropic effort that most people haven’t seen.

The documentary will not only feature the dance marathon itself, but also some of the Four Diamonds families, the work that goes into making THON weekend a success, and events that happen throughout the year such as the THON 5K and canning trips. Additionally, it shows how the Hershey Medical Center has benefitted from THON, in ways like the creation of a new floor dedicated solely to cancer care.

A preview of the film shows how much THON has grown since it began in 1977, and it specifically documents the final moments of THON since 2007, where the amount of money raised is announced each year.

THON families will be able to see a preview of the movie at the Hershey Theatre, and certain chapters of the Penn State Alumni Association may choose to have screenings in selected cities. Filming for the documentary began in September of 2009, and was produced by the Penn State Public Broadcasting. The hour long show will also be streamed online and shown in other major cities throughout Pennsylvania.