Beautiful reason to go bald

Nursing technician Maria Brisuela shaved her head to support pediatric cancer research during the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser Feb. 18 at the hospital. The Children’s Hospital University of Illinois team raised more than $4,000. — Photo: Jenny Fontaine

Staff, faculty and patients were among those who got their heads shaved Feb. 18 to help raise funds for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for childhood cancer research. This year, the Children’s Hospital University of Illinois team raised more than $4,000.

“This year we’re celebrating our tenth year of support from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation,” pediatric oncologist Mary Lou Schmidt said.

St. Baldrick’s has given the UIC/Rush/Stroger pediatric oncology group more than $1.5 million over the last 10 years to help enroll children and young adults in pediatric cancer clinical trials at the three hospitals.

“We’ve enrolled more than 600 patients, many of whom are underserved minorities who have traditionally had limited access to clinical trials,” Schmidt said.

Jeff Grizzell, project coordinator for UI health’s pediatric oncology group, participated for the fifth time.

“I’m doing this for all our patients,” he said.

Karen Fischer, an operating room nurse who also participated for the fifth time, wanted to raise awareness for pediatric cancer and the need for more research dollars.