(CMR) Participants are getting ready for one of Cayman's biggest charity events, The Hannah's Heroes Big Shave, which has contributed significantly to childhood cancer research in the United States.
This year’s fundraising efforts have taken funds raised since 2013 past the US$3M fundraising goal, it was announced at Cayman International School’s Be Bold, Be Bald Shave event on Wednesday, 27 September.
Twelve students shaved their heads, supported by an audience of students, in solidarity with childhood cancer patients, raising over $25,000 for the cause. The Dart organization matched student funds raised.
Every September, hundreds of supporters come together in Cricket Square to unite as one voice against childhood cancer at The Hannah’s Heroes Big Shave. What started in 2013 as a small group of cancer parents with a mission to raise awareness and funds for research has become a crucial milestone event for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research in the US.
Fundraising in Cayman has resulted in the naming of 16 separate research grants at the most prestigious institutes across the US, including John Hopkins, Dana Farber, and Duke University, where researchers are working on life-changing treatments and cures funded by the St. Baldricks Foundation, all named in honor of Hannah Meeson.
In fact, The Big Shave has made it into the Foundation’s top ten fundraisers every year since 2014 amidst hundreds of events around the world and is the Foundation’s most successful overseas fundraiser.
This year’s Big Shave will take place on Friday, 29 September, at The Wicket in Cricket Square.
“The efforts of the Cayman community have been entirely life-changing for children and families facing a cancer diagnosis everywhere. Just 50 years ago, all kids diagnosed with cancer died. Because of research today, about 90% of kids with the most common types of cancer will live, but for many other types, progress has been limited, and for some, there is still little hope for a cure,” said Gaylene Meeson, founder of Hannah’s Heroes and mother of 15-year-old Hannah Meeson, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in 2012.
“Currently, all childhood cancers combined receive only 4% of US federal funding for cancer research, so without vital research funded by organizations like St. Baldrick’s, Hannah and children like her simply will not survive. All children deserve to grow up and realize their full potential, and it’s something that most families take for granted,“ Meeson added.
When the crowd gathers in Cricket Square this Friday, they will celebrate and honor Cayman’s childhood cancer heroes Tayden Grant (15) Hannah Meeson (16), Charli Foster (15), Allie Capasso (15), Beau Shields(12), Ava Paige Rico (13), Annabelle Reading (12), Saylor Sperandeo (12) and Mimi Ebank (10), Martisah Sinclaire (10) and Jaliyah Gauntlet (7) and will remember angels, Felix Lubin (forever 9), Dimitrie Connor (forever 15), Caitlin Beverley (forever 8) and Albert Ebanks (forever 16) and Kai Parham (forever 22) who passed away days before last year’s event.
Amongst those already signed up to brave the shave is nine-time shavee Eugene Nolan of the Tortuga Rum Cutters, who has raised over $100,000 for Hannah’s Heroes.
“It’s an amazing and humbling event and such an important cause. As a parent, I thank God for my healthy daughter and the bright future she has ahead of her. I feel incredibly lucky we can make a difference to kids fighting cancer by doing something so simple. This event inspires everyone and demonstrates how a small community can pull together to make a huge difference and create a future where kids don’t die from cancer and can just be kids,” Nolan said.
Among those shaving on Friday are teams from Maples & Balder, KPMG, the Cayman Islands Fire Service’s “FireBalds,” The Cayman Islands Regiment, the Tortuga Rum Cutters, and NCB Development. Cayman Prep and High School are also hosting a satellite shave event for students and staff, and many schools and businesses are hosting dress-down days, bake sales, and collections to get behind the cause.
Friday’s event will take place at The Wicket in Cricket Square from 5 pm and will feature a silent auction, a balloon prize raffle for adults and children, as well as food and drink specials from the Brasserie and, of course, The Big Shave.
Visit www.stbaldricks.org/events/hannahsheroes or email [email protected] for more information.
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