Last March, eight men and one woman were so inspired by St. Baldrick’s, that they made the spur of the moment decision to shave her head for childrens’ cancer.
“As soon as I walked in I was inspired,” senior Lou Venturelli said. Venturelli was one of the individuals that decided to shave his head upon arriving at the event.
“[I realized] I actually have the opportunity to shave or not to shave where others don’t,” he said.
These nine shavees joined the 21 others who were registered originally. The enormous success led the Student Programming Board to permanently integrate the event into their budget and schedule.
In short, it’s coming back.
The kick-off event on February 5 has generated 32 registered thus far. Participants are asked to raise more than $50 by the event on March 1.
March 29, 2010 marked the first St. Baldrick’s event at Quinnipiac, in which participants raised money for childhood cancer and shaved their heads.
Event supervisor and senior Catie Regan brought the event to Quinnipiac last year because of her own personal experiences.
“I had a very close family member suffer through cancer and I saw the effects that it had on the person and the family,” said Regan. “I realized that this must be 100 times worse to see a child go through this.”
This year, sophomores Kristin Cagney and Morgan Farra will be chairing the event and bringing hair dresses to shave the participants.
“Through our shaven heads, [the children] feel a connection,” said junior Dan Scott, who also participated in last year’s event. Scott was one of the ten or so who proceeded to Bic his head to further relate to the children.
Scott will be participating again this year. He plans to raise $250.
“I had never felt more pride in an event than that one,” said Scott. “[This year] I wanted to not only be able to raise money and make a difference in that way, but I also wanted to make a physical connection.”
Junior Maggie Dooley felt an emotional connection to the cause and was almost the tenth person to shave her head for St. Baldrick’s.
“It was just so much love,” said Dooley about the event. “You get there and it’s like an adrenaline rush – you just want to help.”
“In the end, I realized my mother would probably end my life,” added Dooley.
Some of these events are held at hospitals with children present, as was the experience of junior Vin Bond, who has been raising money for childhood cancer for 15 years.
At last year’s event, he spoke of the first time he shaved his head in Centerport, NY. “When I went up to one of children, he was crying and he said ‘you really are a hero of mine. You really made a difference. To see someone like me really makes a difference,’ said Bond in the introductory speech. “I asked him if I could have his autograph and he signed my head. It was one of the most moving moments of my life.”
For off-site events like the one at Quinnipiac, participants can post their photo on the St. Baldrick’s website (www.stbaldricks.org) after they have shaved their head.
Last year, Quinnipiac students raised more than $7,500 for the cause. Regan said the goal this year is to have 75 people raise at least $8,000. As of Wednesday night, Quinnipiac students had raised more than $10,000. She also has some personal aspirations for the event.
“[My goal] is having all the people at the event night of realize the difference that they’re making and having this become a Quinnipiac tradition.”
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Quinnipiac chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.