St. Baldrick’s: going bald for a cause

Fluffy, overgrown heads of hair on people all around town waiting to be shorn at the annual Rockville Centre St. Baldrick’s event at the St. Agnes Parish Center on Saturday, March 23. The event is one of hundreds of events around the world happening all year long, where people shave their heads in solidarity, to raise awareness and to raise funds for life-saving pediatric cancer research.

Childhood cancer remains the highest mortality rate of any childhood disease, with over 175,000 children worldwide being diagnosed with cancer each year.  

This is the tenth year of the Rockville Centre St. Baldrick’s event and the sixth year holding it at the St. Agnes Parish Center. Last year’s event raised almost $200,000 for the cause. This year there are over 100 men, boys and even one woman registered to shave their heads, hoping to raise $300,000. Like all St. Baldrick’s events, participants seek pledges for shaving their heads.

Events take place all over the world as far away as Japan, Hong Kong, Argentina, England and Bermuda as well as in many schools, restaurants, firehouses and colleges and universities all over the United States. The RVC event will be welcoming parents of childhood cancer victims and pediatric oncologists to speak during the event and honoring children who survived and those who have lost their battle with cancer. 

The St. Agnes Parish Center St. Baldrick’s event is open to everyone. The event follows the RVC St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 23, and will run from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. There will be head-shaving, live music, hot food, cash bar, children’s activities, raffles and St. Baldrick’s merchandise for sale. All proceeds of the event go directly to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The event will also be hosting a bake sale specifically benefitting the family of Doug Gonzalez, a Southside Middle School student battling cancer. A St. Baldrick’s “Doug Strong” shavee fundraising team, open to all shavees, will be shaving in honor of their pal, Doug.

The St. Baldrick’s RVC committee invites any shavees, volunteers and/or supporters to march in Saturday’s RVC parade with RVC St. Baldrick’s. Contact one of the co-chairs for parade line-up details.

For more information on the RVC event contact Alanna at 697-6383 or benderalanna@gmail.com, Dan and danielschaefer@gmail.com or John at john.lacava@aranins.com. It is not too late to preregister as a shavee and collect pledges. Contact Dan or John or go to www.StBaldricks.org to register as a shavee. To save wait time at the event, shavees are highly encouraged to preregister. Come on down for fun, support a great cause and shave your mops for money to help conquer kids’ cancer!