Last year, several members of the Walnut Creek Police Department participated in our very first St. Baldricks fundraiser. I, along with several of my co-workers volunteered to have my head shaved in an effort to raise money for childhood cancer research. I had no way of knowing at the time how personal this experience would become.

When my turn came to shave my head, I sat in the chair and looked out into the audience at my four year old daughter Madeline who had come to cheer me on. Madeline watched me with her big brown eyes smiling and laughing as my hair fell from my head. Little did I know, it would be only a few short months that I would have to watch Madeline’s hair fall from her head as well.

Three months after I participated in the St. Baldrick’s fundraising event, we got the devastating news that Madeline had a cancerous tumor growing in her abdomen. When we heard the news that Madeline had cancer, I thought back to my head shaving experience and reached out to St. Baldricks. I asked if they could refer us to some experts in the field. Within a few hours, I recieved a call back from Liz Jackson at St. Baldricks, who immediately gave me several referrals to the leading pediatric oncologists.

After Madeline's surgery to remove the tumor, she was stuck in bed for a few days. For her first time out of bed she wanted to go for a walk with her daddy to see the play room in the hospital. I just happened to be wearing my St. Baldricks shirt on that day when my wife Rachelle captured the moment (see above photo). This photo means a lot to me and I cannot thank St. Baldricks enough for the support they have given me and my family both directly and indirectly with the work they do. If you could please be a hero, a friend or be just a person who cares and wants to help donate to this incredible organization, it would mean so much to so many.

Thank you,

Tom