Since freshman year, Sydney Waldner has been involved in THON, making memories for the children. The Lionette has worked her way up to the ultimate goal: dancing in THON 2026.
As a member of the Lionettes, Waldner was encouraged to get involved early by her teammates. That led her to be a part of a Rules and Regulations committee her freshman year, a PR committee her sophomore year and taking a role within the Lionettes her junior year.
For her senior year, Waldner got to take the floor with her roommates and teammates, Alexa Lombardo and Chloe Nixon.
“We are dancing for the Shiloh Crimel family and the Ashley Patterson family,” Waldner said. “They are just the most awesome, their stories are like so incredible to hear.”
Waldner explained how THON is so important to her, even beyond the families she dances for.
“We dance for our families and all the other kids that are currently going through cancer, battling cancer currently, or, you know, have lost their battle to cancer,” Waldner said.
Over the past four years, Waldner has had the chance to watch her THON child, Shiloh, grow up. When she joined the Lionettes, Shiloh was 6 years old. Now, she’s 10.
“It’s been the coolest thing,” Waldner said about getting to watch Shiloh grow up. “I feel like my relationship to Shiloh and the Crimel’s has grown over, you know, the time of me being here. So it’s been really awesome to see.”
“She’s gotten taller, which is crazy. Her hair has gotten longer. She’s more outspoken.”
From afar, Waldner can tell how much THON means to Shiloh and the rest of the Crimel family.
“I think THON, I can tell brings out her energy. Like when she comes here and she like sits on our shoulders and she gets piggyback rides. You can tell, like, as soon as she gets here, she gets excited and it’s just awesome to see that.”
Out of all of the memories of this THON so far, Waldner thinks her favorite memory has to be standing up as a dancer. On the floor, she got the chance to hold hands with her roommates, Shiloh and her older sister Harper as well as their mom. While the Ashley Patterson family didn’t get the chance to be there, Waldner knew the weight of standing up for her families and the other Four Diamonds families.
“It was really cool,” Waldner said. “I’m so happy they are able to be here and do that with us.”
Out of all of her THON memories, Waldner happily recalls the time she saw the THON 2023 total as an R&R committee member.
“I had such a good view of this whole reveal and it was just such like an awesome movie. So that’s probably my favorite.”
Every year, Waldner looks forward to the Pep Rally. As a member of the Lionettes, Waldner gets the chance to take the stage with her team, electrifying the crowd with each kick and turn they do. This year, the Lionettes took the stage with Shiloh.
“It’s the halfway marker, but it also is really cool that it combines such an awesome part of THON and Penn State Athletics.”
Waldner knows that no matter what, she’s going to walk away from this weekend feeling proud of what she and her other Lionettes teammates accomplished.
“I just want to walk away from this weekend and be proud that I did it,” Waldner said. And I already am so proud of myself.”