Hundreds of people will gather to shave their hair off on Monday, March 14, for the St. Baldrick’s Day event at de Vere’s Irish Pub. The event raises awareness of childhood cancer and raises money for research.

Robyn Raphael, 46, the CEO of Keaton Raphael Memorial and the mother of Keaton Raphael, who passed away from cancer in 1998, will be hosting the event.

“I was challenged in 2003 to shave my hair when I met the founders in Washington,” Raphael said. “I shaved my head in honor of my son, Keaton, then I came back and rallied the Sacramento community to raise money, and we raised a little over $30,000.”

The event will take place at de Vere’s at 1521 L St. from 5 - 8 p.m.

Last year, many people came out to volunteer, donate and say goodbye to their hair.

Henry de Vere White, 31, co-owner of de Vere’s Irish Pub, said it is a great supportive system for those who have been affected by childhood cancer. Everyone gets together to share stories.

“Last year, we shaved 210 heads. Sixty were females. We raised over $90,000 in one day. This year, I am hoping for the same turnout as last year’s, and the goal is to raise $150,000,” de Vere White said.

The event will take place outdoors, and vendors selling food will be there while people’s heads are being shaved on a stage.

“It is lots of hair-raising fun. Hair will be flying all over, and people are having fun – very lively atmosphere,” Raphael said.

De Vere White agreed, saying it is quiet festive.

“The atmosphere is a surprisingly uplifting one considering the nature of the event,” de Vere White said. “We had the entire McClatchy baseball team come out last year and support – they all came in uniform and shaved their heads.”

There will be a lot of activities – from a cupcake booth and beer drinking to speakers and good music.

Carolyn Lynch is all too familiar with childhood cancer. She listened to her son complain of back and stomach pain only to discover he had a tumor. He was at stage four of Neuroblastoma.

“Until Nick was diagnosed in May 2006, I had not been involved with anything like this,” Lynch said. “I encourage families to participate in St. Baldrick’s. They will meet other families, raise awareness, share their stories so they don’t feel lonely, and their children can meet other children.”

Her son, 13-year-old Nick Lynch, said he enjoys the event because it shows people care.

“I have done it for three years, and I hope lots of people keep doing it. Two of my best friends on my baseball team both shaved their heads on St. Baldrick’s – they did it in honor of me. It makes me feel good to know that people actually care about it.”

Although it is the fifth annual celebration in Sacramento, this is the second year the event is being held at de Vere’s Irish Pub. In the past, it took place at the UC Davis Cancer Center.

It is a national event organized by volunteers interested in fundraising for cancer. It all started in 1999 when Tim Kenny asked his friends John Bender and Enda McDonnell to find a way to help out. They decided to turn their industry’s St. Patrick’s Day party into a benefit for childhood cancer research. They shaved their heads and gave birth to St. Baldrick’s.
www.StBaldricks.org

Hossana Paida