I am lucky enough to have the choice to go bald but this choice is denied to millions of people, young and old, every year. When I found out last year that one of my best friends had been diagnosed with cancer I felt helpless. She was going to be taking on the biggest battle of her life and there was nothing I could do to make it any easier or quicker for her. It turns out that wasn’t quite true. There’s still a stigma attached to going through cancer treatment and losing your hair, especially for children. If I could stand there is solidarity with my friend and show her “hey, hair isn’t that big a deal” maybe it would put a smile on her face, and make her feel a little better during the process. When she told me she was going to have to start chemo and would be losing her hair, I told her the next St Baldrick’s day event I would shave mine off too! As a mother of three, I cannot imagine having one of my children battle with cancer. But this is a reality for to many families across the globe. Cancer doesn’t discriminate and it affects so many more people than just the patient. Childhood cancer is different than adult cancers. They are not detected in the same way and cannot be treated in the same way. Kids cannot fight childhood cancer alone. They need us!! Every day in just the US, more than a classroom full of children are diagnosed with cancer. Worldwide this figure is 1 child every 3 minutes! That’s probably the length of time it will take you to open and read this email…..Pediatric cancer rates have risen nearly 30% in the last 20 years. We have to do something to reverse these statistics. By shaving my head on March 13 I hope to raise over $10,000 to help fund lifesaving research, not only into finding a cure but also to prevent the lifelong damage that results from the surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy given while young bodies and brains are just developing. Please consider donating and helping me reach my goal!