Guests at the annual St. Baldrick’s Cure Kids Cancer Gala last Saturday gathered to celebrate the Year of the Knight at the Quail Valley River Club, joining together to support childhood cancer research in hopes of conquering the devastating disease.

“This year is special,” said Frank Mannino, event co-chair with Missy Elward. “It’s the Year of the Knight.”

Explaining that the nonprofit honors its ‘shavees’ for three, seven, 10 and 15 years of participation, he noted that a number of Indian River supporters will be honored for ‘braving the shave’ for seven years.

“During our March 30 Brave the Shave, shavees will be dubbed Knights of the Bald Table,” said Mannino.

This local arm of the national organization has raised more than $750,000 over the past six years, and it is their hope that in this Year of the Knight, they will reach a cumulative $1 million toward childhood cancer research.

“Until no child has to suffer, until no parent has to feel the pain, the fight goes on,” said Mannino, citing his tagline. “We’re not going to give up until we conquer kids cancer and these kids and their parents don’t have to suffer. We do this so that more families don’t have to face the possibility of losing a child.”

Statistics show that cancer claims the lives of more children in the United States each year than any other disease, and that worldwide, a child is diagnosed every two minutes.

Since its founding in 2005, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation nationwide has provided $258 million in research grant funding, making it the largest private childhood cancer research funder. With only four percent of U.S. federal funding directed toward childhood cancer research, monies raised through St. Baldrick’s events are crucial to finding a cure.

“We’re hoping that doing more of these events will bring more awareness about what St. Baldrick’s Foundation does, so we can collect more funds for kids,” said Elward.

Spirits were high at the prospect of making a difference in these children’s lives. Guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and carving stations on the back porch while DJ Garrett kept things lively inside.

Among the more than 100 silent-auction items were several giraffe paintings donated by Debbie Lovell to honor the memory of her daughter, Chelsey. The 18-year-old lost her battle with cancer in 2012.

Lovell has been a big supporter of St. Baldrick’s mission in the hopes that other families won’t have to endure the pain of losing a child.

On March 30, St. Baldrick’s participants will Brave the Shave at the seventh annual St. Baldrick’s Big Shave fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. at Capt. Hiram’s Resort in Sebastian. For more information, visit stbaldricks.org.