Palmer Moore kicked off THON wearing a spiky-haired hat, and by hour 20, he had swapped it for a drinking helmet. Prior to those, he had worn four different hats, with many more to come before THON ends. Each hat is a fun and visible way for his family to show their support as Moore stands in the fight against childhood cancer.

Palmer Moore began his involvement with THON as a freshman after getting connected through his business fraternity. By his junior year, Moore had become involved through the Sapphire Leadership Program, the organization he now represents as a dancer.

Moore always knew he wanted to be a part of THON, drawn to the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than himself.

“When I was choosing between colleges, I had a lot of options, but what drew me to Penn State was the fact that the school has such a big community and the whole idea of ‘We Are’. I think one of the largest drives of that is THON,” Moore said. “I don’t know many other schools that, on a random weekend in February, have over 15,000 people coming to one place to support a cause greater than themselves.”

Although Moore always knew he wanted to be involved in THON, he never pictured himself as a dancer. But as he became more involved in different aspects of THON, he realized that stepping onto the floor as a dancer was the one goal he still hoped to achieve.

“When I first started getting involved, I thought being a dancer would be a really cool opportunity. Based on the different leadership roles I have picked up at Penn State, I decided that I wanted to approach THON more from the organization side than through the volunteer side,” Moore shared. ” It is an honor to be a dancer. I am glad to be here. My feet hurt, but my attitude is up, and that is all that matters.”

Hailee Grab is the THON child for the Sapphire Leadership Program. Although the Grab family prefers to keep Hailee’s story private, they value building connections with the dancers who represent Sapphire. Hearing about Hailee’s journey and getting to know the Grab family left a lasting impression on Moore and ultimately inspired him to take on the challenge of becoming a THON dancer.

“My very first interaction with THON was a Zoom call with Hailee and the Grab family. It was so cool just to see a THON child and personally hear her story told by her parents; it makes you enjoy the simple things in life,” Moore said. “These are really dark and scary things, yet these kids come out and smile. Getting to see that reminds you that this is what you want to fight for. That is why the pain in my feet doesn’t mean much.”  

For Moore, THON is more than a 46-hour commitment. It’s an emotional journey that reflects the full reality of the fight against childhood cancer.

“I think the beauty of THON is the pain and the joy. What we are fundraising to stop is not an easy thing, and I don’t think we need to pretend that it is,” Moore said. “It comes with pain and hardship, but it also comes with radical friendships. The only way to beat it is to love together and move forward. Being a dancer and being a representative of that is truly a privilege. It is one of the highlights of my life.”  

Inspired by Moore’s dedication to the fight against childhood cancer, his family decided to show their support in a fun and creative way.

“I have my family here to support me, and as each of my family members comes down with a pass, they bring me a new hat I have to wear,” Moore shared. “My first hat had some spiky hair, and then we transitioned to a rainbow mohawk with lights in it. I also had a disco ball helmet and now this one with the water jugs.”    

As Moore reflected on his time as a dancer, he draws inspiration not only from the kids but also from the unwavering support of the entire Penn State community.

“These people put pain in their feet and pain in their hearts, but they care about something bigger than themselves, and raise millions of dollars,” Moore said. “This is something I am honored to be a part of.”