My husband and son will be shaving their heads for the sixth year in a row this year.   I've wanted to do it for a long time, but there's always an element of vanity that held me back.   This year, that all changes.   Here are my five reasons for taking the bald leap this year: 5.  It's just hair.  It grows back. 4.  The money that I raise could be the final straw that helps discover a cure. That's a pretty incredible thought! 3.  One of Carter's classmates, Jose, is battling Leukemia.  When he should have been enjoying normal life as a third grader, he was, instead, battling for his life at Children's Memorial Hospital.  During that time, he wrote letters to Carter and always kept his spirits up.  A sweet, quiet, kind-hearted boy, he, and his family never deserved this kind of torture.  He's in remission, and back in school for his 4th grade year.  2.  In June, a friend from high school informed us that her daughter, Maeve, was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia).  Maeve the Brave, as she's come to be known, is ten years old.  I've never had the pleasure of meeting her in person, but I hope that some day soon, I will and and I give her a giant hug.  Since the moment her parents  broke the news, Maeve has lived up to her nickname. When her hair started to fall out, she didn't cry or feel sorry for herself.  She took matters in to her own hands  and shaved it off.  She swims, goes horseback riding, attends parties and goes to school all while fighting a harder battle than most of us will ever face.  She is, quite simply, amazing. 1.  Last, but absolutely not least, my baby cousin, Stephanie.  Stephanie battled a brain tumor for many years, until we lost her in February 2008.  Her smile was infectious., she lit up the room with her mere presence and she always managed to make other people laugh even when she was in pain.  I was five months pregnant with Nathan when we said goodbye.    I remember feeling guilty that my cousin had just buried his daughter, and here I was, carrying a perfectly healthy baby.  It just wasn't fair. But, today, I see a sparkle in his eye just like the one Stephanie had and I know she's around.  We've come so far in cancer research, and every dollar really does count.  Shaving my hair isn't a sacrifice.  It's a privilege and I'm honored to be a part of this event.