By Ligaya Scaff
It all started with a bet to go bald.
That’s what motivated Sam Kane, a retail manager at
UPMC Presbyterian,
to shave his head with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation nearly seven years ago.
After running into a high school friend who lost his younger brother to a
pediatric cancer, Kane was challenged to join him at the foundation’s annual
event.
“I got my head shaved and fell in love with the cause and the people
involved,” says Kane, who goes bald every March in solidarity with children
fighting cancer. “You’re making a small sacrifice by changing your
appearance—it’s something that I can easily do to generate funds.”
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| Sam Kane getting his head shaved. |
With childhood cancer research only making up 4 percent of the total
amount funded for cancers in general, Dr. Graves emphasizes the need for
support. “The situation absolutely demands more attention,” he says. “We are at
the point where we have to find better treatments and that requires research.”
The signature occasion surrounding St. Baldrick's is the annual
"head shaving" event, which will occur on March 15 at Claddagh Irish
Pub in the Southside Works. "Shavees" encourage friends and family to
make donations "on their head” and, in return, they publicly buzz off
their locks.
Since 2007, more than 400 men and women have shaved their heads and
raised $275,000 at the Pittsburgh event. Along with music, Irish dancing, and
licensed barbers and cosmetologists on hand, Mayor Bill Peduto will make a special
appearance and proclaim March 15 as “St. Baldrick’s Day.”
“Pittsburgh loves to take care of their own,” says Kane. “We have made this a locals’ favorite event,
with an extremely supportive following.”
The public act of shaving one’s hair has deep meaning for Kane. While
in college, his best friend died of leukemia. Witnessing the friend’s dramatic
physical changes over the course of several months, Kane recalled the
devastation of seeing him gradually go bald. By cutting off his hair once a
year, Kane continues to honor his friend’s memory.
In the United States, 1 in 5 children who are diagnosed with cancer
will not survive, according to the organization’s website. Despite these
harrowing statistics, Dr. Graves says he is empowered by the resilience of
children who are fighting the disease and the philanthropic efforts of
foundations like St. Baldrick’s.
“Kids are amazing,” says Dr. Graves. “They rise to the challenge and
have so much spirit and hope. It’s an unbelievable pleasure to witness their energy
and that gives you the motivation to do your job.”
For Kane, the cause has enabled him to observe transformative
experiences. Women with “beautiful, long hair” are shaved bald, losing tresses
that took decades to grow. He has seen a young man with his two children, all
removing their hair in honor of a father who was dying of cancer and watching
nearby. Holding hands with his five-year-old niece and shearing off their locks
together, he remembers “not a dry eye in the place.”
In the future, Kane would like to “increase the size and net proceeds
from our local event and continue to strengthen the relationship I've forged
between St. Baldrick’s and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.”
While each St. Baldrick’s Day brings unexpected moments, Kane’s family
and friends know that no matter what, he’ll be sporting a shiny noggin in
March. “I’m going to continue to do this every year,” he says. “Until I can’t
do it anymore.”
Don’t want to have a shaved head in March? You can still help support Kane and Dr. Graves by donating
to their fundraising efforts. To form your own team or go bald
solo, register here.
Labels: cancer, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, J. Anthony Graves, pediatric cancer
