The Liberty Ball, A Knight for the Kids, is an annual gala and year-round fundraising effort to support the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) and its sole beneficiary, Four Diamonds, in their mission to conquer childhood cancer. The gala's title, "The Liberty Ball", was inspired by an icon of the Philadelphia region: the Liberty Bell. The theme "A Knight for the Kids" was born from reflection on Christopher Millard's remarkable story behind the Four Diamonds name: the quest of the valiant Sir Millard to find the four diamonds of courage, wisdom, honesty, and strength, which represent the four elements necessary to battle cancer.

The Ball was conceived by members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association as a way for alumni to maintain a connection to THON and continue fundraising for Four Diamonds after graduating from Penn State. Since the first Liberty Ball in 2006, the Liberty Ball and the Philadelphia Chapter have raised over $350,000 in the fight against pediatric cancer. Continue reading to learn more about Four Diamonds, The Steve Stefani Dance Marathon, this year's Knight Award winner and the Tuckey’s, this year's Liberty Ball family.