St. Baldrick’s head-shaving fundraiser nets over $4,000 for pediatric cancer research

UI Health and its University of Illinois Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital University of Illinois raised more than $4,000 to support pediatric cancer research and clinical trials at this year’s St. Baldrick’s Foundation head-shaving event on Friday, March 13.

The event also included the Do It For Dominic Fund, which chose the UI Health/Rush/Cook County Health Children’s Oncology Group Clinical Trials Program for a $50,000 grant. The grant helps fund clinical trials for pediatric cancer patients at the three hospitals.

See the video here.

Eleven UI Health staff, patients and students “braved the shave” and had their hair buzzed as part of the hospital’s annual fundraiser. In total, the UI Health St. Baldrick’s event has shaved nearly 400 heads and raised almost $250,000 since its inception in 2008.

Shaving his head for the first time was UI Health pediatrician Dr. Andrew Kreppel.

“Events like these are what enable us to work together with our partners, like Rush University and Cook County Health, as an integrated oncology group to take care of kids with cancer,” Kreppel said. “This is a great way to support childhood cancer research and care, so I’m happy to do it.”

Online donations can still be made in support of any of the individuals who shaved their heads, or in honor of loved ones.