UPDATE 4:31 p.m.: THON raised a new record of $7,838,054.36 and continues to bounce around the worldwide top ten Twitter Trending Topics. An @THON TwitPic of the total can be seen here.

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, known as THON, became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter this afternoon.

THON is the largest student-run philanthropy organization in the world. It is a year-long effort that raises funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer.

You might have noticed some THON "canners" in the Pittsburgh area over the past few weeks. One way students raise money for THON is by going on weekend canning trips. Another is by "dancing" for the kids.

Each year, hundreds of Penn State students "dance" for 46-hours to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund, the beneficiary of THON’s fundraising efforts. The Four Diamonds Fund helps families offset the cost of treatment and other expenses that affect the welfare of the child. It also supports pediatric cancer research through start-up grants and the Four Diamonds Pediatric Cancer Research Institute.

This year, THON was supported by many celebrities, including Khloe Kardashian and Perez Hilton, who tweeted and blogged to followers and readers about helping the cause.
To learn more about THON, click here.

To donate to THON, click here.

To watch a live webcast of THON, click here.

To follow THON on Twitter, click here.

Please tag your THON tweets with the hashtags #THON, #FTK, and #ForTheKids to help THON trend!