Actress and producer Angeline Rose Troy writes about how she got involved to help cure childhood cancer. Get Involved
Photo: Ric Linville.
Finding ways to cure childhood cancers is something I’ve felt very strongly about ever since I was a little girl and my friend, Michelle, was diagnosed with leukemia. She was 7 years old.
Michelle began chemotherapy, and when she began to lose her lovely, long blond locks, she made the decision to shave the rest of her hair completely off. I thought it would be scary for her, but she took each day in stride.
I remember Michelle becoming too weak and frail to be able to run around outside and play, yet still having this huge respect and appreciation for everything and everyone around her. I felt so sad and helpless. Why couldn’t the doctors fix Michelle? How did my beautiful friend get sick in the first place? And why wasn’t she getting better?
I was told there was no cure for her disease and that she fought as hard as she could, but that did not comfort me. Something more had to be done.
Now, nearly 15 years later, I’ve found a way to do something in memory of Michelle and help kids with cancer just like her through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Angeline shaves as a celebrity barber at the St. Baldrick’s 46 Mommas event in 2012.
I had no idea, however, what a direct lifeline this Foundation is for families of kids with cancer and everyone drawn to the cause.
I listened as one impassioned mother told the story of her daughter’s recent chemotherapy treatment and how it was the same treatment she would have received if she had been diagnosed 20 years earlier. She wanted each and every person in the audience to hear her message: that more can be done, and advances in treatment need to be made. The crowd applauded her courage to share her daughter’s story, and as the hair came off, it felt as though a weight was lifted with each swipe of the barber’s razor.
In March 2013, it was my honor to participate in another St. Baldrick’s event — the 10th anniversary of the LAPD/LAFD head-shaving event. In addition to the brave men and women who shaved their heads, there were many youngsters in attendance who were either in the process of kicking cancer’s butt or advocating for others whose beautiful memories live on in their hearts.
Angeline shaves LAFD Fire Chief Brian Cummings‘ head at the 2013 LAPD/LAFD St. Baldrick’s event in North Hollywood.
There is so much we can do to help these brave children and their families who are fighting childhood cancer. If we spread the word about the work St. Baldrick’s is doing to continue to fund research to end pediatric cancer, there will come a day when no parent has to watch their child suffer from cancer, and no sibling will lose a beloved brother or sister to childhood cancer.
A continuous inflow of funding is needed for the successful, ongoing research so that one day we
CAN CERtainly beat CANCER.
You can help cure childhood cancers. Sign up for a St. Baldrick’s event near you!
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