Betsy's Crew was officially started in 2015. My grandpa, Tom Toy, was the original team captain. He taught me what it meant to give back when you can and support others. Grandpa Tom started shaving his head in memory of my Aunt Betsy, his daughter, who lost her fight against Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia back in 1993 at the age of 22, and for all the children who fought or are fighting childhood cancers. He shaved his head 7 times before he lost his own battle to cancer in 2020. At 5 years old, I wanted to join him and shave my head, too! Together we formed Betsy's Crew and a couple of years later my Uncle Bob joined the team, and over the years we have had many friends and family join us to chop or shave in support of childhood cancer research! Even Grandma Pam chopped her hair last year!! Since 2021, I have taken the role of team captain on, and this will be the 12th year a member of Betsy's Crew has joined St. Baldrick's to help raise much-needed funds for childhood cancer research.
Cancer kills more children than any other disease, 1 in 5 kids diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. won’t survive. For those who do, more than 96% have severe or life-threatening conditions by the time they are 50. Kids' cancers are different from adult cancers and childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded. We want to help change the statistics and help find cures, so we joined St. Baldrick's to do something about it by raising money to bring awareness and fund new research for cures. Research is hope for every kid with cancer!
Now, we need your help! Every donation made helps fund research to find cures for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers!! Your gift will give kids hope, supporting the best research across the country, through the largest charitable funder of childhood cancer research grants.
Please consider making a donation or joining our team, become a fellow shavee (beards too), or get a ponytail chopped. You can also join an event near you or do a virtual event and shave on your own. With your support and donations, we can save lives together and give these kids the lifetime they deserve. Thank you for your support!
