Head-Shaving

St. Baldrick’s Foundation Events in Atlanta, GA Area

by St. Baldrick's Foundation

March 1, 2013

Since 2002, the Atlanta area has proudly made the St. Baldrick’s Foundation part of its annual St. Patrick’s Day tradition, and the newest part of that celebration includes marching in the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Flemings became involved with the Foundation when they organized their first St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving event in honor of their daughter, Ciara, who had been diagnosed in the fall of 2001 (just a month before her 2nd birthday) with a rare cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma. Now, 12 years later and cancer free, Ciara has organized two St. Baldrick’s events of her own, and says, “Thanks to all the amazing shavees and volunteers who help raise money for research, I’m 10 1/2 years in remission.”

For 12 years now, the Atlanta area has embraced the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s mission to Conquer Childhood Cancers, holding more than 138 events and raising more than $3.4 million* in honor of kids like Ciara and the 175,000 kids worldwide who will be diagnosed with childhood cancer this year. Gus (a.k.a. “Augustus the Mighty”) was diagnosed in 2010 with medulloblastoma, a brain and spinal cord tumor, and remains in treatment, as his cancer has spread twice since his initial diagnosis. His family and friends have come together since 2008 as part of their team “Mighty Gus’s Lock Less Monsters,” helping to fund research that will one day find a cure for kids like Gus.

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will be particularly meaningful to the Walsh family, as it marks 8 years since they hear the words “your child has cancer.” Their son Keelin was diagnosed on March 17, 2005 with Stage 2A neuroblastoma and had surgery at just 9 weeks of age to remove his tumor. Like Ciara, Keelin is now cancer free, but his family continues to work tirelessly to find a cure for all kids, as one in every five children diagnosed with cancer still do not survive.

Since becoming an independent foundation in 2005, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation has funded more than $103 million in childhood cancer research grants (second only to the U.S. Government). Many of these grants fund research in Georgia including Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as hospitals in Augusta and Savannah. These grants help give more kids access to clinical trials (often their best hope for a cure), train the next generation of pediatric oncologists, and fund specific research projects, filling the childhood cancer research funding gap.

This year, there are more than 22 Atlanta-area events coming together to honor local childhood cancer patients and survivors, as well as those who have lost the battle. Follow the links below to find out more about these events. And be sure to watch for us as we make a return appearance in the Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 16th!