I have been surprised by the number of people who tell me they consider that what I am doing is brave. I know I can be a bit vain about my hair sometimes, but chopping it off hardly seems to be an act of bravery. Bravery is what I see on the Baldrick's website, the smiles from kids who may have painful months and years ahead of them, if not worse. But if people want to see what I am doing as bravery, a sacrifice, if you will, then maybe this is something we should explore. There are many different definitions of sacrifice in the dictionary. The one I liked best in this context is as follows: the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage. Now I understand that offering up an animal or human life will probably not go down well in this day and age, but offering or giving up "some material possession" might be a little more acceptable. So let's think about it. All sacrifices proposed contemplate giving something up for one year. Do you like to eat? Eating one LESS, dry, bland Swiss croissant per week would fund a $50 donation to St. Baldrick's. Do you smoke (you know you shouldn't)? Giving up ONE cigarette a day for a year would allow you to make a contribution of $120 (prices correct at time of going to press). Is caffeine your vice? Giving up ONE Starbucks latte a week would allow you give $300. If , like me, you are a bit of a tippler (secret or otherwise), giving up just ONE bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild per week would allow you to make a donation of $78,000 (prices correct at time of going to press)! Not bad eh, just for giving up one bottle of wine a week. Now, the reality is, none of us really think of this in these terms, I'm just trying to give a bit of context. But if you do make a donation (a sacrifice, if you will), it will go a long way towards helping those smiling kids on the St B's website, and many more like them, to hope for a better future. The actual amount is not important, it is the act itself that matters. What's more, it means I won't need to go out and offer up the neighbour's dog on a pagan altar. Or even the neighbour, for that matter. Thanks for reading. Thanks for your feedback and encouragement. But most of all, thanks for your donations. The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Your gift will give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. So when I ask for your support, I'm really asking you to support these kids. Thank you! Click "Make a donation" to give online, or donate by phone or mail.