Quinnipiac University Members Participate In St. Baldrick's Day Event

From QU: Members of the Quinnipiac University community will shave their heads to raise money to combat childhood cancer during the annual St. Baldrick’s Day event, which will take place from 8-10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, in Burt Kahn Court, at Quinnipiac 275 Mount Carmel Ave.

Three professional barbers will be on hand to shave the participants’ heads, as they raise money to fight childhood cancer, which affects 1 in 285 children in the United States before they turn 20. In fact, more children are lost to cancer in the United States than any other disease, according to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Last year, the Quinnipiac community raised more than $7,700 during the event.

The name St. Baldrick’s is a mashup of St. Patrick’s Day and the word “bald,” two things which sum up the humble beginnings of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer foundation that funds grants for childhood cancer research through shaving events and other fundraisers across the globe.

It all started with three guys in a bar on St. Patrick’s Day and a challenge to go bald to raise money for childhood cancer research. Their goal was $17,000. They ended up raising $104,000, and St. Baldrick’s was born.

Childhood cancer research is incredibly underfunded — only 4% of government funding for cancer research goes to study childhood cancers.

St. Baldrick’s is now the second biggest funder of childhood cancer research grants behind the United States government. Since it became a foundation, it has funded more than $154 million in grants to intrepid researchers searching tirelessly for better treatments and cures.

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