Why am I shaving my head with St. Baldrick’s for the 15th year, and why should you care?

Because your donation “on my head” will actually save lives. Every year it’s estimated that 15,780 children between the ages of birth and 19 are diagnosed with cancer. Over the last 40 years, the number of children diagnosed with leukemia has increased by about 35%. While survival rates for many types of childhood cancer have improved, for too many children, cancer will shorten their lives too soon. Cancer remains the most common cause of death by disease for children in America.

Kids with cancer need our support now more than ever. St. Baldrick’s is the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, and the pandemic has slashed donations, slowing down the progress to find cures. Despite these donation shortcomings, St. Baldrick’s is now ranked in the top 30 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Programs.

Cancer kills more of our kids than any other disease. Research can change that. Because of major treatment advances in recent decades, 85% of children with cancer now survive 5 years or more. Overall, this is a huge increase since the mid-1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was about 58%. However, 1 in 5 kids diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. won’t survive. For those who do, more than 96% have severe or life-threatening conditions by the time they are 50.

Each shaved head, every dollar donated, creates a ripple effect of progress for kids with cancer. I don’t want to let these kids down. Can you help? Thank you so much!