Shave your head for a good cause Oct. 23

Recent grad Holly Yeoman (right) shaved her head recently to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Shave your head, volunteer or donate to help combat childhood cancer at St. Baldrick’s “Battle of the Bald” Oct. 23.

Recent grad Holly Yeoman and sophomore Mary-Kate Schiffer organized the head-shaving event, from noon to 4 p.m. at Vintage Lounge, 1449 W. Taylor St.

“People should participate because childhood cancer is one of the lowest-funded diseases, and it kills more children than many other diseases combined,” said Yeoman, a neurology lab technician at Rush University Medical Center who graduated in August with a biological sciences degree.

UIC is competing against other universities, including Ohio State and Indiana University, to see who can raise the most for childhood cancer.

“I think that it’ll bring awareness and togetherness,” said Schiffer, a sophomore in marketing. “By participating, they’re giving these kids hope.”

Schiffer’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last December.

“That’s when it really kind of hit home for me, and I decided I wanted to be involved with helping other families,” Schiffer said.

Yeoman shaved her head for the cause in July 2014. That experience, along with her desire to be a pediatric oncologist, inspired her to help organize the event.

Whenever she misses her long hair, Yeoman said she remembers that St. Baldrick’s makes a difference. In March, St. Baldrick’s researcher Alice Yu helped develop an FDA-approved neuroblastoma drug — one of only three drugs approved in the last 20 years specifically created to help treat childhood cancer, according to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Yeoman is excited to give students the opportunity to get involved on campus while participating in a great cause.

“I really want to make this really big event at UIC that can become a tradition and that people can do every single year,” Yeoman said.