Bald is Beautiful

I've always liked shaved heads.  Bald heads.  Something about the boldness of having no hair has always been interesting and "cute" in my mind. Of course,  it was never my head that was bald.  

Because Eli was having weekly doses of Viscristine we knew it was just a matter of time before his beautiful, thick hair fell out. I envisioned finding clumps of hair in his bed or falling out in chunks in the tub or something.  It didn't happen like that at all.  In fact...it almost appeared that he wasn't losing his hair but it was thinning.  Slowly but surely it was coming out. 

At one of our visits to the hospital we saw some posters advertising an event that supported children's cancer research. It was called "St Baldricks".  And it was all about getting your head shaved in honor of kids who are dealing with cancer. I decided to look it up and see if it was something we'd like to participate in. 

When i did my research I started to understand the need for the support of this.  And that Eli's first head shave should most definitely be at this event.  

St Baldricks is the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research, and today the St. Baldrick's Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Since 2000, more than 240,000 volunteers have shaved in solidarity with children with cancer at events in dozens of countries and every U.S. state. Thanks to generous friends and family, these shavees have raised over $146 million for life-saving research, and each is a walking billboard for the cause.  Yup.  We were going to participate.  Well, my guys were going to participate physically and I monetarily.  I have a lumpy head......just go with that.

Although there are only 12,400 new cases of childhood cancer diagnosed each year nationwide, it is still the leading the cause of death by disease in children. Today, close to 80 percent of children will survive pediatric cancer. However, there has been little to no increase in survival rates of childhood cancer in the last 20 years due to the lack of access to new cancer agents. And the bittersweet reality for three out of every five children who survive childhood cancer experience long-term effects, some of which are life-threatening. While there have been significant advances in treatments for some childhood cancers, we have much more to learn before all diagnosed children will have the ability to live full and happy lives.

The main obstacle is funding. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent each year on cancer treatment and research, but studies and drug development specific to pediatric cancers remain woefully underfunded. Unfortunately, new drugs and treatments are few and far between, largely because private companies lack the ability to generate significant profit from them. Drug companies have also been reluctant to develop products specifically for childhood cancer patients, in part because of the liability risk that they take when testing drugs on young children and because of the small patient population. 

Out of the National Cancer Institute’s $4.8 billion dollar budget, only $173 million, or just over three percent, is allocated for grants that have anything to do with pediatric cancer.  Children can’t vote, so adults must be their advocates to get more funding and government support to foster research specifically for childhood cancer.

And the event in Portland was to be next to the park that Rob and I were married in!  It seemed like we must go.  I signed Rob and Eli up and was excited that we could help raise (albeit a very small amount) a little something and get Eli's haircut without having to wait until it fell out. 

Two weeks before the event we found out our friends, Jeremy and Alison Ethridge were coming down from Whidbey Island, WA for a visit.  And Jeremy, who is a  childhood friend of mine, wanted to be part of the fun. For both of us, our connection to pediatric cancer before Eli rested in a mutual childhood friend from Iowa.  He survived that battle (BEFORE the no side effect, anti nausea drugs of today and during some of the most impressionable times of high school) and left a resonating impression on both of us.  Not because of his cancer but because of his will. I think for both of us being reminded of childhood cancer reminds us how much we are thankful for what we still have today.  Lifetime friendships. 

Jer was also really sacrificing a lot because as you can see he had long locks of green hair that were challenging for him to grow. Oh...and he likes bacon. Ha-ha.

Before

After

We had a great time.  Eli might beg to differ on the actual head shaving part though. He was very upset with us but the rest of the time he enjoyed.  The Portland Timbers (MLS soccer for you true blood Americans) were all there to get their heads shaved!  And so was the mayor of Portland!  Along with HUNDREDS of others.  It was awesome.  And only in Portland, at a children's cancer research event, do you get free beer tokens that you could ONLY use on beer.  (I actually tried to get a water and they told me, "tokens are only for the beer") And we aren't talking Miller or Coors.  They, in true Portland style, only had the best locally crafted micro brews.  Hilarious. 

With Alison at the beginning of the event

Jeremy, Rob and Eli are ready to get shaved!

He wasn't thrilled.

So if you are in the market for a charity or a place to donate or even want to shave your head with a purpose....  Please consider St Baldricks.  It really is something can help but only in great masses.  Eli does not throw up from chemo or even have to be doped up with opiate based drugs  because of a "pre" drug he is given that has been developed because of cancer research dollars from the last two decades. In fact, it has almost no side effects.   THAT....is a priceless thing...to patients and the family of patients. And 15 years ago...it was just in a lab somewhere.

Bald is Beautiful