The mission of the Four Diamonds Fund is to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children treated at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital and their families through superior care, comprehensive support, and innovative research.
Four Diamonds is an organization that inspires, empowers and activates youth and young adults in the fight against pediatric cancer through avenues such as Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) and the Four Diamonds Mini-THON Program.
2. Childhood Cancer Facts
• FACT: Childhood Cancer is
the #1 Disease Killer
of Children
• FACT: Each day 46
children are diagnosed
with cancer
• FACT: Childhood cancer occurs regularly,
randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic
class or geographic regions
• FACT: 1 in 5 will die of their disease within 5 years
• FACT: Childhood cancers receive only 4% of national funding
for cancer research
3. We believe
these facts are
unacceptable.
And Four
Diamonds is on
a mission to
change them.
4. Four Diamonds Fund Mission
The mission of Four
Diamonds is to conquer
childhood cancer by
assisting children treated
at Penn State Hershey
Children’s Hospital and
their families through
superior care,
comprehensive support,
and innovative research.
5. Four Diamonds Fund History
• 41 years of helping kids with cancer
• Founded in 1972 by Charles & Irma
Millard in honor of their son,
Christopher, who lost his battle
with cancer
• Have raised more than $115 million to help fight childhood
cancer
• Assisted more than 3,300 children and families
• We are part of Penn State University and located at the Penn
State Hershey Children’s Hospital
6. Four Diamonds Story
Christopher Millard
11-year-old boy who battled cancer for 3 years
The Four Diamonds Story
Chris wrote a story about a fictional knight, Sir Millard, who
had to defeat an evil sorceress
Courage
Wisdom
Honesty
Strength
7. How Four Diamonds Helps
Families: Superior Care
• Penn State Hershey Children’s
Hospital provides outstanding life-saving
medical treatment and care
to patients and families
• Team of Pediatric Oncologists,
Nurses, Social Workers, Child Life
Specialists, Nutritionist,
Psychologist, and Music Therapists
• Care for more than 600 children
every year
8. How Four Diamonds Helps
Families: Comprehensive Support
• 100% coverage of all childhood cancer medical
bills
• Families NEVER see a bill for services or
treatment
9. How Four Diamonds Helps
Families: Innovative Research
• $39 million endowed for pediatric
cancer research projects
• Funding 41 researchers working on
77 protocols or clinical trials
• Focused on discovering more
effective treatments as well as a
cure
• Four Diamonds research covers
more than 14 different childhood
cancers
10. Four Diamonds Fund
Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital is recognized as a
leading U.S. Pediatric Cancer Center
11. Four Diamonds Mini-THONs
• 100 schools participated in a Mini-THON in 2012-13
• Together, they raised more than $2.1 million
• Since 1993, Mini-THONs have raised more than $10 million
• More than 20,000 students actively
participate in Mini-THONs annually
• Mini-THONs are the fastest growing
source of funding for Four Diamonds
• Mini-THONs are modeled after the Penn State Dance Marathon
• Proceeds from the Mini-THONs are not included in the
Penn State THON total
In order to claim victory, Sir Millard had to collect 4 diamonds – Courage, Wisdom, Honesty and Strength
These “diamonds” identified character traits Chris felt a person needed to conquer childhood cancer
His Parents
Just hours after Chris passed away his parents created the fund to help other families
Superior Care
Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital provides outstanding life-saving medical treatment and care to patients and their families – because cancer doesn’t just affect the child, it affects the entire family
Our pediatric cancer team – Pediatric Oncologists, Nurse Specialists, Social Workers, Child Life Specialists, Nutritionist, Clinical Psychologist, Music Therapist work with our pediatric oncology patients
We provide life-saving treatment to over 600 children every year at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital (PSHCH)
Comprehensive Support
100% coverage of all childhood cancer medical bills for their treatment at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Families never see a bill for services or treatment.
Innovative Research
Lab based, Experimental Therapy Research
$39 million endowed for pediatric cancer research projects
Focused on discovering more effective treatments and a cure
We are funding more than 77 protocols or clinical trials
Four Diamonds research covers more than 14 different childhood cancers