Way back in 2001, I participated in my first St. Baldrick's after my step mother told me I was going to. The middle of my three half-brothers, the Brave and Mighty Andy Beck, had been diagnosed with Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney and undergone treatment. We lost Andy in 2005 and I committed myself to shaving every year in his honor, until they found a cure or my hair stopped growing back in. As you can see, it is still with me. So, this will be my 19th year shaving for my little brother.
This past October, I learned that my nephew Owen Myers, Andy's closest friend, was diagnosed with Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, ALK positive, and has been going thru his own set of treatments since then. He had just turned 20, and was signed up for treatment at Children's Hospital here in Pittsburgh. Amazingly, Dr. Richie, who treated Andy, is still there, and agreed to be part of Owen's treatment team. So far, all is going well, but I asked Owen for his permission to shave in his honor this year.
Thus the formation of Team Young Warriors, and the first year shaving in honor of my nephew.
