Greetings Friends,
I started my NAMIC adventure in 2016 when I became the executive assistant to Chuck Chamness, NAMIC’s president and CEO. Shortly after joining the NAMIC family I learned about Chuck’s son Joey’s successful fight against osteosarcoma and NAMIC’s involvement with St. Baldrick’s Foundation. As you will learn, pediatric cancer wasn’t new to me, however, St. Baldrick’s was.
My husband, Dan, and his family have been in my life for more than 12 years. I quickly learned about his cousin, Lara, who was only three months older than him. Dan’s mother shared a story of when he was a toddler. He and Lara had fevers and their mothers took them to the doctor. Following the appointment, his mother and aunt spoke to see how each of the children were doing. When asked how Dan was, his mom replied, “He’s fine, just a virus.” When asked how Lara was, his aunt replied, “We are at the hospital, she has cancer.” Lara was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma and passed away before her second birthday.
Lara’s mother, Sue, a retired hospice chaplain, was the officiant at our wedding and has shared that when she looks at Dan she often wonders what Lara would be doing as they were so close in age. This story has made a profound impact on me as I have two little boys of my own (who are thankfully healthy); however, I can’t begin to imagine what children with cancer and their families go through and the strength they have.
Once I learned about St. Baldrick’s, a volunteer-driven and donor-centered charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research through head-shaving fundraising events, and the realities of childhood cancer, I felt compelled to become involved. I volunteer at NAMIC St. Baldrick’s events, and my husband has been a two-time shavee. The staggering statistic of 300,000 children worldwide diagnosed with cancer each year is 300,000 too many. We can help change that! Just this month a new drug was approved by the FDA for childhood cancer patients – three St. Baldrick’s grant-recipient researchers were directly involved in this exciting new treatment. It is the first FDA approved drug developed to target a key genetic driver of cancer, rather than a specific type of tumor.
For a few years I have tinkered with the idea of Braving the Shave, and every March the urge to go bald gets stronger when I see the good that comes from the funds raised by St. Baldrick’s. I told Dan to sit this year out, as I want to shave in Lara’s memory to not only raise money and awareness, but to also donate my hair.
I have volunteered to Brave the Shave at the NAMIC CEO Roundtables on March 26 at 7 a.m. at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando as a part of the St. Baldrick’s challenge to raise $50,000 or more for pediatric cancer research.
I am asking for your support so that we can defeat childhood cancer! You can give directly here by phone at 888-899-BALD (2253). Credit cards are the easiest way to give and you’ll receive a receipt by email, or you can send or bring a check payable to "St. Baldrick's Foundation."
Thank you for your consideration, support, and encouragement as I Brave the Shave!
With much appreciation,
Shannon
