Last week over 50 Roswell Park staff and community members shaved their heads and raised $40,000 for the Goin’ Bald for Bucks fundraising initiative. It just goes to show you that if you want to get the community behind a fundraising initiative, there’s no better way to do it than for the staff to get behind the effort.
“This Goin’ Bald for Bucks event allows our staff and supporters to visually show their solidarity with those who are battling cancer,” Candace Johnson, PhD, President and CEO said. “The money that the participants raised will accelerate the start of critically needed research projects, and it will also help us provide programs that assist our patients.”
I recently learned about the formations of Goin’ Bald for Bucks, which started off in a very grassroots manner. The story goes that in 2002 the brother of a cancer patient by the name of Cathleen George, decided that he would join his sister in her efforts to battle cancer. Side by side, right along with Cathleen, Tony shaved his head and vowed that he would remain bald until his sister was able to grow her hair again. It turns out that Tony was a teacher at Lake Shore High School. One of his students suggested that the effort be paired with a fundraising effort, and Goin’ Bald for Bucks was born.
“For many of our patients, losing their hair is a difficult step during their journey. By Goin’ Bald along with my colleagues, we hope to show our patients that we are with them every step of the way,” said Dr. Mukund Seshadri, DDS, PhD, who has gone Bald for Bucks for five years.
To this day, Goin’ Bald for Bucks has raised more than $3.2 million.
Lead image: Caitlin Schrimmel went Bald in honor of her father, a cancer patient, and Dr. Wetzler, who passed away in late February.