Austin, Texas - (March 12, 2009) - The clippers will be buzzing at the Dell Children's 2009 St. Baldrick's event as staff and community members shave their heads to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research.
Cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the United States. Worldwide, 160,000 kids are diagnosed with a form of cancer each year - that's one child every three and a half minutes.
St. Baldrick's began as a casual conversation among friends and has exploded into the world's biggest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer. In nine years, events have taken place in 18 countries and 48 U.S. states, raising more than $50 million and shaving more than 72,000 heads.
Participants who shave their heads will sacrifice their locks to help find a cure for childhood cancer and to show solidarity with children who lose their hair during treatment.
Last year, Dell Children's raised almost $50,000. The goal this year is to raise $40,000 at Dell Children's and $30,000 at Mother Egan's Irish Pub - for a total of $80,000. There are over 130 shavees signed up between the two events - that's more than double from last year.
The money raised will benefit the Children's Oncology Group of which Children's Ambulatory Blood and Cancer Center is a member.
Come join the family fun and support the children affected by cancer on Saturday, March 21 at 12 p.m.
If you like to sign up to go bald or to sponsor a participant, visit www.stbaldricks.org call 1 (888) 899-BALD.
St. Baldrick's Events benefiting Dell Children's:
Mother Egan's Irish Pub
Tuesday, March 17
5 p.m.
715 W. 6th Street
Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas
(in the Healing Garden)
Saturday, March 21
12 p.m.
4900 Mueller Blvd.
Seton is proud to have four hospitals – the only hospitals in Central Texas - that have earned the