We should be bald right now — today was the day!
But, the universe had other plans — and, yeah. That hurts.
Two weeks ago, when our worlds came to a grinding halt — so, too, did our fundraising. The world has bigger problems, scarier problems. There are more unknowns, more fears, more complications, more what ifs.
But, still, I find myself thinking — that’s always been the world of kid’s cancer. Still, I find myself relying on the brave-ness of these kids, the bold-ness of our community — to keep going.
10 years ago, I was introduced to the St. Baldricks Foundation — to the realities, the statistics, and the facts behind children’s cancer.
I’m not a numbers person or a math person or even a science person (in that I never did particularly well in these classes) — but facts are hard to ignore when they stare you down, daring you to change them.
I have seen the reality of kid’s cancer. I know the statistics; the numbers constantly at the forefront of my brain. I’ve seen what families have to endure, what families have to battle — to keep their kids alive.
I’ve seen what happens when we run out of options.
I tell you this not to add more heartbreak to an already difficult time — but to tell you that I’ve seen the GOOD in this chaos too. When the lives around us get messy, and it all seems to be too much — it's this that keeps me going.
Doctors and scientists and researchers are committed, every day, to finding better, safer treatments.
Shavees and volunteers dedicate their time, talents, and hair.
Donors give what they can.
Communities battle for their youngest, their frailest.
And none of us do it for any other reason than it's the right damn thing to do.
These kids and families need us — and, so, we'll answer that call time and time again.
We should've gone bald today, but we didn’t.
Today, the most heroic thing we can do for these kids — for each other — is to stay home. To buy time for our doctors, nurses, scientists and researchers as they battle a new threat. To buy time for our friends and family and...people we’ll never know.
And while it may not look or feel like much now — it is the easiest call we'll ever have to answer — Just. Stay. Home. Wash. Your. Hands.
We should've gone bald today, but we didn’t.
And, yeah — that hurts.
But, I know these things for certain — I have never been more proud of our team and the work we've done in fighting kid's cancer — currently, we've raised over $15k together for 2020, and we were on track to have another record breaking year.
2020 will still mark our $100,000 year in funding kid's cancer research!
No matter when this year's shave is — trust that Team #LiveOutLoud will go bald when it's safe for us to do so.
And without any doubt in my mind — I know...there will be another day, where the bagpipes fill the air and the buzz of clippers reign — where we'll all shave again together.
And that day, whenever it is, will own the statement, "There's no day like shave day."
Until, then. Stay safe.
Stay healthy. STAY HOME. And, if you have the financial means to do so -- every $1 counts, now more than ever, for these kids.
Donate Now to Fight Kid's Cancer.