Why I shave… It’s not about the hair This week, the first week of December, recognized Giving Tuesday, and while I have been struggling to define the exact answer to the question of why I shaved my head for St. Baldrick’s , I did what I often do, I went for a run by myself to push myself to a point of providing clarity to situations that often don’t have just one explanation. Over the spring and summer of this year 2015 many people have asked me why I was bald, why I had short hair or if I’d cut my hair, which was great, because I got the opportunity to talk about St. Baldrick’s, a Foundation dedicated to funding research for every kind of childhood cancer and since 2005 has raised over $100 million dollars. The best answer I have for all of those questions is, “because.” But, not just “because”, it’s “because” since I have so many answers to that question: Because… I can. Because… I am healthy, strong and have the ability to help others. Because… Childhood cancer research only gets 4% of U.S. federal funding and something needs to be done about that. Because… It’s not fair. It’s not fair that kids get cancer, it’s not fair that families have to deal with it, it’s not fair that it’s not fully funded. Because… I have a friend, who I respect and love, who dealt with the loss of a child and has to live with that everyday. Because… I think that being a part of whatever community you live in is important and being a part of a community is giving back, volunteering, or supporting charities. St. Baldrick’s is a truly valuable charity to support. Because… I run marathons and participate in long course triathlons, and I need to draw on inspiration greater than the desire to finish to make it there. I think of everyone who wishes their greatest struggle was to finish a race. And most of all, because… it is the right thing to do, to help our future generation, to inspire people and be a part of something that may not affect you today, but will impact your life in some way - 1 in 285 U.S. kids will get cancer before they turn 20. So this is my ask, I may ask you to donate your time, your money, or your clout; and I’m fine if you turn that request down, because there may be another charity or cause that you believe in and that you have passion to support, but if you don’t, find one – find St. Baldrick’s, or find something else, but make your own list of “because”.