St. Alexander Students Aim To Raise $12K At St. Baldrick's Event

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL -- Students at St. Alexander’s School in Palos Heights are trying to raise $12,000 for their annual St. Baldrick’s head shaving event this Wednesday, March 13, at a time to be announced. To show their camaraderie with kids fighting cancer, several students, teachers and community members will be getting their locks sheared for childhood cancer research.

St. Alexander sixth-grader Mary Sheerin will be braving the shave for a third consecutive year. Last year, fourth-grader Anna Hynek donated 12-inches of her hair to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children undergoing treatment for cancer.

Chicago Ridge Trustee Ed Kowalski, whose daughter Abby is in sixth grade at St. Al’s, will also be getting his head shaved. Kowalski challenges elected officials in other nearby communities, to shave their domes for pediatric cancer research.

“As a coach and a father I could not even imagine fighting this kind of struggle,” Kowalski wrote on his St. Baldrick's pledge page. “It has been a rough year for me with health issues, and I want to show kids that you can fight and be brave. You may be wounded but you are not out of the game. My struggle pales in comparison to what these brave children and their families go through.”

Last year St. Alexander students raised $11,000. This year, the school is shooting for $12,000. So far, students have raised $8,617 toward their goal. If you don’t want to get your head shaved, community members can make an online donation to St. Alexander Elementary School/St. Baldrick’s. Donation forms can also be downloaded.

More children are lost to cancer in the United States than any other disease. Before they turn 20, 1 in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation provides more childhood cancer research grants that any other private non-profit organization in the nation, except for the U.S. government. Money raised from St. Baldrick's events goes toward research to alleviate cancers striking infants, children and young adults.

Want to volunteer or brave the shave? Contact Stacey Sheerin by email at slzawaski@hotmail.com. St. Alexander Elementary School is located at 7025 W. 126th St., Palos Heights.