My St. Baldrick's...

March 16, 2010 My St. Baldrick's...

When Our then 8-Year-Old Son…

In the Chamness family BC (before cancer), a major challenge might have been potty training twins, finding a reliable babysitter, or choosing among preschools. Our definition of “challenge” was radically altered in January of 2005, when our then 8-year-old son, Joey (one of the aforementioned twins) was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. We immersed ourselves in medical journals, researched surgical options and quickly learned a new vocabulary – ports, methotrexate, cisplatin and limb salvage.

At the time, Joey was too young to understand the implications of his diagnosis, except one – losing his hair. Moved by Joey’s tears and fear, my husband, Chuck, Joey’s two brothers, Robbie and Charlie, and some dear friends decided to go bald with Joey at our 2005 inaugural St Baldrick’s event.

Chuck and the boys, and a growing cadre of shavees, went under the clippers each year thereafter and in 2007 our brave 13-year-old daughter, Sally, decided to join them.

Each year, I vowed to shave “next year,” but when the time came, I couldn’t make myself brave the buzz. I worried about the stares, the questions from far flung work colleagues, and the awkwardness of having my “brown” hair grow back gray!

This year is different. In grateful celebration of Joey’s five years cancer free, and in honor of the many girls we met throughout his treatment who had to struggle with losing their hair, I finally stepped up to the barber’s stool at our March 12 St. Baldrick’s event.

What have I learned after three days of baldness? Your head gets cold and people do stare.

Encouraged by my pin to “Ask me why I am bald,” I try to use each inquiry as an opportunity to recruit prayers and donors to the St Baldrick’s cause to find a cure for childhood cancer.

Briget Polichene Chamness