Going Bald for a Cause

When you’re down-and-out, terrified, feeling helpless and just deeply sad, what helps you get back in the saddle? For some it’s therapy. For others it’s family, travel, spiritual guidance, yoga, half-gallons of ice cream, GOING BALD!???

While losing my hair to Alopecia Universalis stripped me of my self-identity, confidence, and initially, my sense of control, going bald is often the one way loved one’s of cancer patients feel they can take charge of a situation that feels so out of their control. While the cancer patients would typically love to avoid hair loss, the people who love them often view cutting their locks or shaving their heads as the one way in which they can show their love, solidarity, and determination to see them through cancer treatment.

Having turned my own hair loss into an opportunity to help others, I am especially touched by the growing number of people who don’t stop at solidarity head-shaving, but who use their bald status to raise awareness and funding for others suffering from specific cancers.

“Forty-six mothers are told their kids have cancer every weekday and seven children lose their life to it everyday,” says Amy Brennfoerder, whose 3-yr-old son Kaiden recently finished his brain cancer treatment. Kaiden’s hair has grown back and yet Amy plans to shave her head along with 46 other mommas who will publicly “Shave for the Brave“. Their bold bald goal is to raise a voice to childhood cancer and attempt to raise $1 million for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity that funds research into cures and treatments for childhood cancers. Go Mommas!!!

Have you or anyone you know shaved your head for a cause?

Susan Beausang, 4Women.com