The Crimmel family’s journey with Penn State’s THON and their remarkable child, Shiloh, is a heartwarming example of the community that defines Penn State. VALLEY had a chance to interview them recently and gained insight on their special connection to THON.
The Game
Shiloh had the honor of being the “Kickoff Kid” at the annual THON Awareness Game, a game that’s dedicated to raising awareness for pediatric cancer and supporting the Four Diamonds Fund. At this year’s game, held on September 9th, Penn State saw a victory with a score of 63-7 against Delaware, making the day even more memorable for the Crimmel family.
When asked about their experience with THON and being the Kickoff Kid for the game, the Crimmel family was enthusiastic. “We love coming to Penn State, so every time we’re here, we’re super happy and super excited. It’s literally a happy place to be. It’s Happy Valley.”
Shiloh and her parents expressed their excitement, anticipating the opportunity to go on the field, meet Coach James Franklin, watch the game and, of course, see the beloved Nittany Lion mascot.
Growing Up with THON
The Crimmel family’s journey with the Four Diamonds Fund began in 2018 when Shiloh was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. They recalled, “The day after she was diagnosed, a Four Diamonds social worker came to our room. At that point, we didn’t even know what Four Diamonds was…” The social worker’s visit was a turning point for the Crimmel family. “She told us that everything was taken care of, and that was the first time when things started to look a little bit brighter.”
Their first encounter with THON occurred six months later, and it left a memorable impact on the Crimmel family. “The support that we have felt from Four Diamonds, THON, and the Penn State students just makes us feel so loved and welcome every time we come here. It’s just… I don’t know how to describe it,” Shiloh’s mom said.
When asked what THON means to their family, the Crimmel family explained, “When Shiloh was ill, we would bribe her with the Nittany Lion’s pride if she took her medicine. The Lionettes, who are her paired organization, would call and FaceTime her to support and encourage her. THON set us up with them.” The Lionettes have supported Shiloh’s journey every step of the way, even during the pandemic. The Crimmels added, “When we’re at THON, it’s like they’ve been there with us the whole time. So to us, it’s super special. We’re here for them now when they’ve been here for us.”
THON’s Impact
The Crimmel family’s message to those unfamiliar with THON and Four Diamonds is this: “We encourage everyone to visit thon.org, visit fourdiamonds.org and see how impactful these organizations are to families. It’s amazing.”
Shiloh and the Crimmel family’s story shows the incredible impact of THON on families battling pediatric cancer, a reminder that students at Penn State can create lasting hope and change.
Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.
It’s actually a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
I always was interested in this subject and still am, thanks for putting up.
Absolutely composed content material, regards for selective information.
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
Keep up the wonderful piece of work, I read few blog posts on this web site and I believe that your website is really interesting and has got circles of wonderful info .
Hi! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
A powerful share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he actually purchased me breakfast because I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I really feel strongly about it and love studying extra on this topic. If attainable, as you develop into expertise, would you mind updating your blog with extra details? It’s highly useful for me. Large thumb up for this blog submit!
hello!,I like your writing so much! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I require an expert on this area to solve my problem. May be that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is fantastic blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be back.