My name is Amy and I’m a family medicine doc in Columbia, MO. Why I’m shaving my head for St. Baldrick’s 1.) For the kids: It’s hard to find a more worthy cause than research for kids with cancer. Unlike many fields of medicine, there has been rapid progress in survival for numerous types of childhood cancers. For example, for kids with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) the most common cancer in children, the 5-year survival rate improved from 57% in 1979 to about 90% today. This would not be possible without the generosity of people willing to donate. 2.) Bryson: I am shaving my head for Bryson who died last year from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) brain cancer. He was five years old.

   3.) For the families: I have been inspired by the strength and resilience of Bryson’s mother, Lily. My father died from cancer when I was five and I still feel his loss on a daily basis, but that pales in comparison to the loss of a child. I stand in solidarity with Elizabeth and families like hers.

4.) Who’s got the time: between washing, drying, cutting, coloring, and styling, hair is a very labor intensive and costly pastime. A woman will spend $44,300 on her hair in her lifetime. By donating to St. Baldrick’s to support me in shaving my head, you are actually saving me time and money. So, thank you.

5.) To stick it to western standards of beauty: who hasn’t, at one point or another, wanted to stick it to society and refuse to be defined by what we are told is attractive. After all, it is only hair. It will grow back….. eventually.

So please donate what you can, even if it is only $20, $50, or $100. My official goal is $7,500 but I would love to make it to $10,000.