If you’re looking for more reasons to donate to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, look no further… “A boy who glittered leaves his sparkle behind: David Heard, champion of origami cranes, died Thursday after battling cancer. But his project will go on.” http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-easton-david-heard-20110211,0,2875596.story To watch a great video of David, please check out this “Cranes for a Cause” clip from WFMZ: http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/26102325/detail.html. If you’d like to join David’s efforts and make paper cranes to contribute to his goal of donating 1,000 cranes to each of the 220 pediatric cancer centers in the U.S., please visit the following website for information and instructions: http://theater.lafayette.edu/faq/. I personally feel drawn to this cause and am working hard to organize these fundraising efforts for St. Baldrick's at Emmaus High School here in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. I am blessed to not have struggled with cancer, but I lost two grandparents to this awful disease, and my grandmother is a uterine cancer survivor. In November 2009, cancer affected me even more directly when my mom, Stefanie, was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the past I've worn pink ribbons and donated money here and there, but this has been an eye-opening experience. I now have an even greater understanding of how terrible this disease truly is. I cannot imagine what it must be like for children (and their families) to deal with the emotional and physical rollercoaster of being diagnosed with cancer, undergoing chemotherapy treatments and surgeries, experiencing the subsequent pain and suffering, and repeating the process over and over, literally fighting for their lives while trying to maintain a positive attitude. My mom had to shave her head two days before Christmas ‘09, and I give so much credit to everyone affected by this terrible, terrible disease. I wanted to shave my head in solidarity with my mom and her battle with cancer, but before I did, I discovered the St. Baldrick's Foundation. I am inspired by every brave patient, young and old, and felt moved to contribute to such an important cause: cancer research. Last year I shaved my head at our first EHS Shave for the Brave, and April 23 was a day that I will cherish forever. Large crowds came out to show their support, our honorees shared their cancer battles, shavees sacrificed their locks for the cause, and people donated a LOT of money! We surpassed our goal of 10 shavees and $5,000 with more than I ever thought possible—70 shavees raised $24,566.99! This unforgettable experience was incredible, and I am touched... Cancer affects ALL of us in one way or another, but I never expected such a magnitude of generosity. I feel blessed to know (and meet) such amazing people. And my mom? She is doing well since her mastectomy in June and has been deemed “cancer free.” It hasn’t been an easy road, but she is on the road to recovery! Thank you for the continued support! As an English teacher and track coach, I work with many wonderful people on a daily basis. I am fortunate to be able to create an opportunity for my track and field athletes, students, colleagues, community members, and friends and family to also contribute to St. Baldrick's. So that's what we're doing, and it's all for kids with cancer. And I'm throwing vanity out the window again! Many cancer patients don't have a choice when it comes to losing their hair, but I do, and I'm shaving my head to support them. AND I CAN’T WAIT!! "Cancer is a word, not a sentence." *** I thank everyone in advance for his or her generosity. If you'd like to give more than a donation and want to help at our event, EHS Shave for the Brave, please contact me at spetrunak@eastpennsd.org. Again, thank you so much! ***