High schoolers shave heads for pediatric cancer research
By Austin Pollack
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MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (WTVF) — Students at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro shaved their heads Friday to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Students organized and ran the event, as they have for the past several years. Some students from Fairview High School joined in, too.
Dozens of students volunteered to have their heads shaved as part of the school’s St. Baldrick’s event, which organizers described as the school’s biggest philanthropy effort of the year.
For some participants, the cause is deeply personal.
“This is something, it means a lot to me,” said freshman Mahayla Shirley. “One of my classmates passed away from leukemia on the second, so that’s been really hard for me.”
Shirley was among those who shaved her head.
For Fairview High senior Maddie Bartee, the decision to participate had been years in the making. After a bad haircut in eighth grade, Bartee said she made herself a promise.
“So then literally from eighth grade on I told myself I’m going to grow it out all of high school – try not to cut it and stuff, and be able to shave it by the end of the year,” Bartee said. “I wanted to do something to be able to give back and say I gave myself to them fully.”
Shirley said she hopes the visible gesture sparks conversations about the impact of childhood cancer.
“When people see this, they have questions,” Shirley said. “So it’s a really great way to get to talk to people and just really help get out there the impact of childhood cancer and how we should be fighting to make a better step and it’s unique.”
Shirley and Bartee combined have raised close to $3,000. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation funds research to fight pediatric cancer.
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