A little over 11 years ago I shaved my wife Jodi's hair off. After recieving chemotherapy, her hair started falling off in clumps and she had a lot of pain in her scalp. Emotionally this was a very difficult process for her. Her hair was such an important part of her self-image. Jodi spent the next 4 years growing hair back and losing it again. Most of her friends didn't even know she wore a wig most of those years. I was the only person she'd let see her bald head. I'd always told her how beautiful she looked without her wig, but that never seemed to be satisfactory.

Jodi was a beautiful woman who charished life. She demonstrated to me everyday, after her diagnosis, her will to live life. She did a lot of living in the 4 years she survived a very bad form of breast cancer. I will always remember the lessons she taught me about living. Jodi died on June 2, 2002.

As a pediatric anesthesiologist, I've spent the last 20 years of my life caring for children with cancer. Since my wife's passing I feel much more compasionate for these very special children . In memory of my wife Jodi, and in honor of all the children currently surviving cancer, I'd like to shave my head for St. Baldrick's Day.