Sioux City St. Baldrick’s 17th Head Shave for Pediatric Cancer
- In Sioux City, the saying "bald is beautiful" gains profound significance as the local chapter of the st.
- This year marks a milestone: the 25th anniversary of St.
- Baldrick's, recounts the chapter's humble beginnings in 2008: "The company that we work for, they put something out having mentioned that ‘Anyone interested in shaving your head sign...
sioux City Goes Bald for Pediatric Cancer Research with St. Baldrick’s
Table of Contents
- sioux City Goes Bald for Pediatric Cancer Research with St. Baldrick’s
- Sioux City St. Baldrick’s Head-shaving Event: Your Questions Answered
- What is the St. baldrick’s foundation and its mission?
- Why is pediatric cancer research so vital?
- Where and when is the St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event in Sioux City?
- How can I participate in the St.baldrick’s head-shaving event?
- What motivates people to shave their heads?
- How much money has the Sioux City chapter of St. baldrick’s raised?
- What impact dose St. Baldrick’s funding have on pediatric cancer treatment?
- What are the improved outcomes in pediatric cancer treatment?
- What does St. Baldrick’s mean to families impacted by pediatric cancer?
- Event Details:
Published:
In Sioux City, the saying “bald is beautiful” gains profound significance as the local chapter of the st. Baldrick’s Foundation gears up for its annual head-shaving event on Friday, March 14th. This initiative aims too raise crucial funds for pediatric cancer research.
This year marks a milestone: the 25th anniversary of St. Baldrick’s head-shaving events, dedicated to conquering childhood cancer.The Sioux City chapter proudly celebrates its 17th year of operation.
Les Wilt, an organizer with St. Baldrick’s, recounts the chapter’s humble beginnings in 2008: “The company that we work for, they put something out having mentioned that ‘Anyone interested in shaving your head sign up,’ and we signed up. I signed up and challenged a couple of others, and that’s how it started here.”
Sence then, the Sioux City chapter has been steadfast in its commitment to raising money for pediatric cancer research.
Wilt notes the chapter’s fundraising success: “The first year we raised $200, this year we’re over $300,000 raised total over the 17 years. We’re at $17,000 raised so far this year.”
Impact on Families
The funds generated by st. Baldrick’s provide vital support to families like the Youngs from Adel, iowa. Sage Young was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia B-Cell at age four. The family connected with St. Baldrick’s shortly after Sage was admitted to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.
Betsey Young, Sage’s mother, emphasizes the foundation’s focused mission: “The thing about them that is so important is that they focus solely on pediatric cancer research. That was really important to me because at the time I didn’t know anything about pediatric cancer and how under-served the population is, and how important it is for these outside, third party, resources like St. Baldrick’s to fund that research.”
Advances in Pediatric Cancer research
nationwide, St. Baldrick’s has raised over $300 million for pediatric cancer research. These funds have fueled important progress, including the development of a new drug specifically for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia B-Cell, the same cancer Sage battled.
According to Betsey Young, this research has dramatically improved outcomes: “It has increased the prognosis to a 97% cure rate, and we’re really close to that cure. This reducing the toxic load on kids, it’s reducing the length of treatment by a whole year, and it’s also reducing the side effects that the kids are experiencing.”
Join the Head-Shaving Event
The head-shaving event is open to the public. Anyone can donate and shave their head on the event day. Many have already signed up, including first-timers inspired by their colleagues, echoing the Sioux City chapter’s origins.
Jack Peterson, a first-time participant, shares his motivation: “The place I work at, a couple guys have always done it since it started, and they dared me to do it and here I am. It’s just awesome to see the local community give money to such a great cause.”
Newcomers are encouraged to visit the barbershop on Friday and participate in this meaningful event.
Betsey Young urges potential participants to consider the children battling cancer: “Think about the kids that are battling, that are in the hospital and they don’t have the choice. And when you step up on that stage at the event, you’re showing a sign of solidarity with these kids. You’re saying, ‘I see you. I wish that I can make it better, and this is the way I want to help this cause.’ It’s also unique. It gets people talking; the more people that we have talking about pediatric cancer,it brings more awareness,more funds,and ultimately more people that are ultimately going to find a cure.”
Sage Young offers a powerful message: “Because of you, kids like me have hope.”
DuWayne Harvey, owner of Leeds Barbershop, encourages participation: ”Be a part of this, it’s a lot of fun, it’s for a good cause. And hair grows back, that’s why I’m in this buisness.”
Leeds Barbershop will open its doors at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, March 14th, and will continue shaving heads until everyone has had their turn.
Event Details
- Event: St. Baldrick’s Head-Shaving Event
- Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
- Time: Starting at 9:00 a.m.
- location: Leeds Barbershop, Sioux City
- Purpose: Raising funds for pediatric cancer research
Sioux City St. Baldrick’s Head-shaving Event: Your Questions Answered
Every year, Sioux City comes together to support pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation head-shaving event. This Q&A provides essential details about the event, its impact, and how you can participate.
What is the St. baldrick’s foundation and its mission?
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a non-profit institution dedicated to raising funds for childhood cancer research. Unlike many other cancer charities, St.Baldrick’s focuses solely on pediatric cancer, which is frequently enough underfunded. Their mission is to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.
Why is pediatric cancer research so vital?
Pediatric cancer is substantially under-funded. Betsey Young,mother of Sage,a childhood cancer survivor,notes the importance of organizations like St. Baldrick’s because they focus solely on pediatric cancer research.This focused funding is crucial for developing treatments specifically tailored to children, reducing toxic loads, treatment length, and side effects.
Where and when is the St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event in Sioux City?
The St.Baldrick’s head-shaving event in Sioux City will be held on Friday,March 14,2025,starting at 9:00 a.m. at Leeds Barbershop.
How can I participate in the St.baldrick’s head-shaving event?
There are several ways to participate:
Shave your head: Sign up as a shavee and solicit donations from friends, family, and colleagues.
Donate: Support a shavee or the general campaign with a financial contribution.
Volunteer: Offer your time to help with event logistics.
Spread Awareness: Talk about the event and the cause to encourage participation and donations.
What motivates people to shave their heads?
Participants are driven by various reasons:
Solidarity: Showing support and solidarity with children battling cancer who often lose their hair during treatment.
Personal connection: Having a personal connection to someone affected by childhood cancer.
Community Spirit: Participating in a community event for a great cause.
Challenge: Accepting a dare or personal challenge to raise money.
How much money has the Sioux City chapter of St. baldrick’s raised?
The Sioux City chapter has been running for 17 years and, as of march 14, 2025, has raised over $300,000 in total. For 2025 alone, they have already raised $17,000.
What impact dose St. Baldrick’s funding have on pediatric cancer treatment?
St. Baldrick’s funding has directly contributed to meaningful advances in pediatric cancer treatment. This includes the development of new drugs, such as one specifically for acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia B-Cell (ALL), the type of cancer Sage Young battled.
What are the improved outcomes in pediatric cancer treatment?
Research funded by St. Baldrick’s has led to significant improvements, including:
Increased prognosis: For some cancers, like ALL, the cure rate has risen to approximately 97%.
Reduced toxicity: Treatments are designed to be less toxic to children’s bodies.
Shorter treatment duration: Treatment lengths have been reduced significantly, sometimes by as much as a year.
Fewer side effects: Children undergoing treatment experiance fewer and less severe side effects.
What does St. Baldrick’s mean to families impacted by pediatric cancer?
for families like the Youngs, St. baldrick’s provides hope and vital support. The foundation’s dedication to pediatric cancer research offers the promise of better treatments and, ultimately, cures.It reminds families that they are not alone in their fight. Sage Young stated, “Because of you, kids like me have hope.”
Event Details:
| Feature | Detail |
| —————– | ——————————————- |
| Event | St. Baldrick’s Head-Shaving Event |
| Date | Friday, March 14, 2025 |
| Time | Starting at 9:00 a.m. |
| Location | Leeds Barbershop,Sioux City |
| Purpose | Raising funds for pediatric cancer research |