Electric clippers hummed as locks of hair fell to the stage of the Capt. Hiram’s Sand Bar during the 14th annual Indian River County Brave the Shave to benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, whose mission is to fund promising research into finding cures for childhood cancer and giving survivors long, healthy lives.
Putting their hair where their mouth is, so to speak, participants showed that their lovely tresses, tufts, and curls are a small price to pay in the search for a childhood cancer cure. This year’s efforts resulted in an estimated $75,000 raised, propelling their local fundraising efforts to a cumulative $1.5 million.
As he thanked volunteers and sponsors, event organizer Jose Rubio said that the IRC Brave the Shave continues to showcase a community that never ceases to amaze him.
While sitting in the barber’s chair on a public stage is a moment of profound vulnerability, it pales in comparison to the reality faced by the children who inspired the event. This voluntary sacrifice is a tribute to the courage of children who face the loss of their hair, their strength and their childhoods, a burden that no child should have to carry alone.
Nationally, according to Rubio, 1,000 heads had been shaved and $1.4 million had already been raised before this year’s final total. He added that funds raised are more important than ever, because “Research is hope.”
Longtime organizer Frank “Cookie” Mannino shared that he was excited to see so many fresh faces and newly shaved heads. He said that newcomers keep the momentum and donations flowing, and he reiterated his longstanding belief that the fight must go on until no child has to suffer.
Since its inception in 2000, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation has become the world’s largest private funder of childhood cancer research, awarding more than $371 million in grants to date.
St. Baldrick’s has played a role in nearly every major advancement in pediatric oncology over the last 25 years, including the development of new FDA-approved drugs and the expansion of clinical trials that provide life-saving treatments to thousands of children.
Beyond immediate cures, the foundation’s “International Scholar” awards and its support of the Children’s Oncology Group have built a sustainable global infrastructure, training the next generation of researchers and improving the long-term survival rate and quality of life for children worldwide.
For more information, visit StBaldricks.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
