Community shaves heads, raises $20,000 for childhood cancer research
By Megan Matthews
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — More than 20 students, staff and community members packed St. Bernard Church and School on Tuesday, not for a service, but for a show of solidarity.
Participants shaved their heads as part of a St. Baldrick’s Foundation event supporting children battling cancer, an effort that hit home for some families.
In November, Liam Clements’ sister, Kaitlyn, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Liam said he’d planned to shave his head earlier, but waited for the event.
“No, it was not a question. I was going to do it earlier, but I said I wanted to wait until this event,” Liam said. Asked how he felt afterward, Liam said: “Different. But I feel like I did a good thing, so I feel good.”
The group’s fundraising brought in $20,000 for childhood cancer research.
For Liam’s father, Chris Clements, the moment was emotional as he watched the community rally around families facing the disease.
“I try to hold back my tears and not get too emotional, but it just it I think the community, the world needs this,” Chris said. “I mean, it needs people coming together, unison and helping each other out. The energy, the kids clapping, happy, exciting and cheering everyone on for what is a wonderful, much-needed cause.”
Father Chuck Walker, who has been involved with the foundation for 20 years, said the event reflects the kind of support families need when they first receive devastating news.
“That is one of the hardest things I have to do, is go into a hospital room where a child and the family just found out that they have a cancer diagnosis,” Walker said. “Not knowing what that’s going to be like or if there’s going to be a recovery or whatever. So, I hate seeing that.”
Walker said seeing students and community members step up is what makes the event meaningful year after year.
“I’m very proud that they, they want to do something too, because they know all the friends, they’ve got, you know, family members that suffer from the same thing,” Walker said. “So they’re trying to do their part to help.”
The Clements family also shared a hopeful update: they learned last week that Kaitlyn is now in remission.
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