I'm shaving my head to raise money for childhood cancer research!
In September 2013, I went along to the first Heroes for Hannah Shave event (which raised US $234,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation) and, like everyone else there, was deeply touched by Hannah’s story. So touched, in fact, that it moved me to volunteer to have my head shaved at the 2nd Annual Heroes for Hannah Shave, which will take place on Friday 19 September at The Wicket, Cricket Square. Two of my work colleagues at Kensington Management Group, Ltd., Jon Brosnihan and Tom Dillon, have also volunteered and together we form ‘Team Kensington’ for a joint fund raising effort.
Here is Hannah’s story, which truly highlights the desperate need for funding into childhood cancer research that the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is dedicated to help provide:. In July 2012, age 4, Hannah was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer; following 22 months of treatment including surgery, radiation and 13 rounds of chemotherapy, Hannah’s tumors have disappeared and today she has been declared “cancer free”. It’s wonderful news, isn’t it?
However, the harsh reality for her family is that Hannah has a 5% chance of surviving the next five years and in the highly probable event of relapse there are no known successful medical trials for them to follow. Treatment has come at a huge price for Hannah; the radiation has caused her brain to shrink, making control of all voluntary movements very challenging. As a result Hannah, is disorientated when standing and needs full support to perform any motor functions we all take for granted, like walking. The chemotherapy has caused hearing loss and nerve damage, which is now affecting her basic bodily functions.
Shockingly all childhood cancers combined receive only 4% of US federal funding for cancer research; without vital cancer research funded by organizations like St. Baldrick’s, Hannah and kids like her will not survive. Whilst her family continues to treat the side effects of the treatment with therapies and medications, they count each day with Hannah as a blessing.
Please consider making a donation on behalf of Kensington’s ‘BBB’ (Bold Bald Boys) to help this most worthy cause. Kensington is donating the proceeds of its dress down days for both August and September to the Baldrick’s Foundation; perhaps your own companies can do something similar?
Thanks so much for any support you can give – nothing is too small or too large.
Cheers,
Keith