Worldwide nearly 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. In the United States, childhood cancer kills more children than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and diabetes combined. For those who do survive, two-thirds will suffer long term effects, such as loss of sight or heart disease, as a result of the treatments. Despite all of this, less than four percent of the National Cancer Institute’s budget goes into research for childhood cancer.
These statistics are from the St. Baldrick’s foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for research on childhood cancer. On Friday, March 15, at 3 p.m. Boise State Housing will host the second annual St. Baldrick’s event on the Taylor Quad located between Taylor and Driscoll halls.
Aubrie Gribble, junior elementary special education major, is responsible for bringing the event to Boise State after hearing about it in 2011.
“People receive pledges,” she explained. “They say, ‘hey, if you give me so much money, I’ll shave my head.’ And that’s basically how the fundraising works.”
So far about 20 students have volunteered to shave their heads. Nick Cordell, sophomore mechanical engineering major, is one of them. His shoulder length locks will soon be sheared away in the name of charity.
“I’m a little bit (nervous),” Cordell said. “It really is a commitment… I just can’t see where it won’t be
worth it.”
Cordell set a personal goal to raise $500.
“I’m actually getting really close to that so I wish I would have set it a little higher, I would have pushed a little more,” Cordell said.
Betty Clark, a sophomore elementary education major, shaved her hair last year, which was previously down to her belly button. She encourages everyone to get involved through either donations, or shaving.
“If you all bought one less coffee this week and donated that $4.25 to childhood cancer I don’t think people realize how far that would go,” Clark said.
If students want to shave their heads, it’s not too late. Walk-up shavees are welcome. “The purpose of St. Baldrick’s is to stand in solidarity with kids with cancer,” Clark said. “It’s a reminder and a support.”
