Boston Cannons Lacrosse Players Go Head-to-Head Versus Childhood Cancers

Major League Lacrosse players will raise awareness and funds for life-saving childhood cancer research

BOSTON (June 21, 2014) – Members of the Boston Cannons are going head-to-head versus childhood cancers! The Cannons announced today that five of their players and one coach will engage in a seven-week competition to see who can raise the most money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research.

Jack Reid, Matt Smalley, Jordan Burke, Brodie Merrill, Eric Hagarty and head coach John Tucker are asking friends, family and fans to support their efforts by making a donation on their personal fundraising pages. From June 21 through August 9, the players will see who can raise the most money for St. Baldrick’s. At the end of the competition, the Cannons will host a St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving event post-game where all six participants will get bald to stand in solidarity with kids with cancer.

In the time it takes to play an average lacrosse game, 40 children will have been diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and in the U.S. alone, childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children. The team is hosting this challenge in honor of their friend Clarkie Carroll, an 11-year-old boy who completed treatment for Ewing sarcoma in May. Clarkie is an avid Cannons fan and a lacrosse player himself. He will serve as the honorary captain of the Cannons at the June 21 and August 9 home games at Harvard Stadium in Boston against the Ohio Machine and the Rochester Rattlers. Funds from this event will go to the Team Clarkie Hero Fund at St. Baldrick’s.

“My teammates and I are excited to officially kick off this head-to-head challenge,” said Jack Reid, a Boston Cannons defenseman. “All of us have been impacted by cancer in some way, and Matt is a cancer survivor himself. We believe no child should have to endure the painful treatments that come with a cancer diagnosis, and hope this challenge will not only raise funds for St. Baldrick’s, but will call attention to the critical need for funding childhood cancer research and encourage others to get involved.”

“We are honored to have the Cannons players and coaching staff on our St. Baldrick’s team, shaving their heads to raise money for lifesaving childhood cancer research, so that children affected by cancer, like Clarkie, have a chance to live out their hopes and dreams,” said Kathleen Ruddy, chief executive officer of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “Turning their on-field camaraderie into a friendly competition to help kids shows what big hearts these men have. We hope that fans and supporters will join Jack, Matt, Jordan, Brodie, Eric and John on the St. Baldrick’s team to help conquer childhood cancers.”

The Cannons are also hosting a St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving pre-game event for fans and supporters to help the cause at Harvard Stadium on August 9. The event will start at 4:30 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m., with a goal of raising $5,000. The Cannons are offering the first100 fans that raise a minimum $50 to shave their head two (2) free tickets to that night’s game against the Rochester Rattlers. The fans will also have their picture taken with members of the Cannons Dance Team, and six fans who raised the most money will earn the right to shave the player’s heads on the field immediately following the game. Volunteering their time to support the cause by shaving fans and player’s heads will be a team of stylists from Super Cuts. Fans can sign up at: http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/BostonCannons

About Boston Cannons
The Boston Cannons are one of the founding franchises of Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league. They began play in June of 2001 and currently host home games at Harvard Stadium. They won their first MLL Championship on August 28, 2011. All tickets for the 2014 season are now on sale. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 617.746.9933 or visit www.BostonCannons.com

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. St. Baldrick’s coordinates its signature head-shaving events worldwide where participants collect pledges to shave their heads in solidarity with kids with cancer, raising money to fund research. Since 2005, St. Baldrick’s has awarded more than $127 million to support lifesaving research, making the Foundation the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, and the new International Scholar grants train researchers to work in developing countries. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.

###