Kids Helping Kids

In the Doherty family kitchen, Kate, 8, sat at the table, her feet just touching the floor. She swung them slightly as she talked, a bit nervous maybe, and looked at a picture of her cousin, Ben.

In it, a young boy smiles in pajamas, head shaved to a buzz. The picture is one of the last taken of Ben, who passed away earlier this year as Kate was raising money for St. Baldrick's—a charitable organization that raises money for children's cancer research.

When she touches her own shaved head, she thinks of him, Kate said.

This year, Kate raised $3,357 to help other kids like her cousin. When she shaved her head this March at the Just Irish Enough fundraiser for St. Baldrick's at , she held his picture.

"The shaving was the easy part," Kate said. "He was the one who had to fight."

Just a few houses down the street, another Forest Road student, Jack Chadesh, 10, was also a top fundraiser at the school this year. Jack raised a whopping $2,730 in honor of another Forest Road student who is fighting leukemia.

Put together, two kids, on one block, managed to raise over $6,000 for cancer research. All together, students from Forest Road School raised $36,000 this year for St. Baldrick's.

"We're so incredibly impressed and proud of our students," said Katherine Boxell, principal at Forest Road School. "It's amazing the community it has built at the school and in La Grange Park."

While Kate and Jack may be young, cancer has already touched their lives. La Grange Park residents have pointed to the connection the students have felt after two of their classmates were diagnosed in the last few years with forms of cancer. One, Dominic Cairo, passed away in June last year.

"I think what people are touched by, is that it's kids helping kids," Jack's mom Rachel said as we sat in her living room. "He was very enthusiastic from the start last year."

Both Jack and Kate said they began their drive by registering a page on the St. Baldrick's website, which would allow friends and family to donate online. They then crafted letters asking for people's support and with the help of mom and dad, sent them out to family and friends across the country.

"I told them I was doing it for St. Baldrick's and I told them about Becca," Jack said of his letter to supporters.

Jack also helped out by participating in a bake sale to raise money and in events at the school to show his support. For Jack, it became a bit of a personal competition.

"My goal was $1,000, but I raised that really fast," Jack said. "I like checking [the website] to see if someone else had donated."

For Kate, the fundraising became even more personal when her cousin Ben passed away in February.

"It really made it even more important for her," Kate's mom Micki said. "I think she was nervous about shaving her head before, but after— she became very determined."

For Kate, shaving her head really didn't seem like a big deal.

"It's just hair, it grows back," she said with a shrug and a grin.

Kate said it was easier knowing that she had a lot of support from her friends. Many of them also raised money for St. Baldrick's this spring and shaved their heads as well.

"It was really cool to see everyone there," Kate said of being at The Max for the fundraiser.

Micki agreed and said the atmosphere at The Max was amazing to witness.

"We just felt so much love that night," she recalled.

Kate, who dances competitively with Expression Dance Studio, got added support for her head shaving from her teammates. Her dance friends made signs and cheered as the buzzers came out and slowly shaved away her locks.

Both kids said they felt St. Baldrick's was doing important work and that they planned on raising even more money next year for the charity.

"It's a good thing to do," Jack said simply.

Kate agreed.

"It doesn't matter if you can give a dollar or two, it all helps, and it matters that you donated."

Being fundraisers has had its perks as well. Jack (with the help of classmate Kirby Dorner) even got to shave a teacher's head.

"We got to shave Mr. Thomas' head in the gym," Jack smiled. "Into a mohawk!"

"Mr. Thomas wasn't worried about Forest Road students giving him a bad haircut?" I asked both of them.

"It's just hair, it grows back," Kate said. "These kids just want to grow up."

You can visit Jack's page here, and Kate's page here on the St. Baldrick's Foundation website.