St. Baldrick's Event

This last weekend was amazing! I honestly can say that I have never had an experience quite like the St. Baldrick's Event.

For those of you who don't know, St. Balrick's is a volunteer based foundation that funds research for a non-invasive, non-toxic cure for childhood cancers. (check out their website http://www.stbaldricks.org/)

In one week's time Rob and I were able to fundraise $529 for the foundation! We had set what we thought was a lofty goal of $500 but with the help of family and friends as our sponsors we were able to exceed our goal! (As a whole, the foundation earned $5,399.75 which exceeded their initial goal of $5,000)

The spirit at the event was one of love and excitement and even anticipation. There were Disney Princesses roaming around, loving on all the littles and bringing courage to Rebekah, Max, and the other children present who are currently fighting cancer. There were booths for face and nail painting, silent auctions, and food. There was a 12 year old boy selling stickers to help fund treatment for his little sister Macie. The whole room was filled with hope.

There were two moments that were so heart wrenchingly beautiful I couldn't help but tear up:

Rebekah's mother was participating as a "shavee" and she got up on stage, put her hair in two ponytails and proceeded to have them chopped off---after which she gave those ponytails to her 5 year old cancer ridden daughter as a gift. She then allowed Rebekah to shave the rest of her head completely bald.  It was so touching and lovely that there are hardly words to describe it. Rebekah spent the rest of the event wandering around, clutching her mother's ponytails in her tiny hands.

The second moment that really got me was an act so sweet and so simple it's hard to imagine that it actually happened.

The event was held at the Provo Beach Resort, which is an arcade/swimming/surfing/ropes course place and it was also opened to the public that day. The announcer for the St. Baldrick's event got on the intercom and said "I know that some of you don't feel comfortable shaving your heads, but if you would like to participate, we have hairstylists here that will cut off your ponytail and give it to Pantene in order to make free wigs for cancer children".

I honestly didn't think anyone would do it. In fact, it was about 15 minutes before anyone took the bait. And who was it that was so brave that they would chop all of their hair off on a whim for a charity they had never heard of? A little 6 year old girl. She walked up on the stage and declared in front of everyone "I want to cut my hair off so that kids who don't have hair can have mine."  I just about fell to pieces.

And now for the onslaught of pictures! (photo credit goes to Jim, thanks for supporting us and playing photographer!)

Check out how awesome this brave girl looks with long AND short hair! She can rock it either way!

This whole family shaved their heads in support of their son Andy (in the middle), a cancer survivor who decided to shave his head in support of his friends still undergoing treatment!

Before

The look of determination (resignation?) on Rob's face is priceless "Alright, this is happening."  

Gideon was not excited about what that lady was doing to his mommy, he had to come and hold me to make sure everything was ok.

I think the resemblance shows more now that I'm bald