Conquer Kids’ Cancer.”
This is the mindset of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, whose goal is “Filling the Funding Gap.”
“More adults than kids get cancer, it’s true,” the website states. “That’s why governments and foundations fund more research for adult cancers — and we’re all for finding cures for adults. But look closer: Adults [15: average # of years of life lost to cancer; 67:average age at cancer diagnosis] and Kids [71: average # of years of life lost to cancer; 6: average age at cancer diagnosis]. The National Cancer Institute has more than double its investment in childhood cancer research in recent years, due to greater advocacy and awareness. However, more funding is needed to develop new, safer therapies for kids with cancer.”
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is dedicated to providing funding to help raise awareness for childhood cancer research. While researchers seek to find new cures, children are in a fight for their lives. Abbey Foltz, a 14-year-old competitive dancer, [pictured, top right] was just a freshman at GlenOak High School when her life changed forever. Abbey was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on her right tibia on January 31, 1996 and that was “a date we will never forget,” creator of the Canton St. Baldrick’s event, Mrs. Nan Foltz told The Viking Views in May 2023.
“Family, friends, school and dancing were her life,” the St. Baldrick’s website said. “That life and all her plans were put on hold when Abbey and her family heard these words from her doctor, ‘your daughter has cancer.’”
Hoover guidance counselor Mr. Taylor Sowers has participated in St. Baldrick’s for the past seven years. He has been a shavee as well as the team captain of the North Canton Middle School’s team.
“At the time, I was at middle school teaching and I thought to myself, I want to get involved in some way with something, but I don’t know what that something is,” he said. “I’ve met quite a few people who have experienced tragedy in their lives. In this case, childhood cancer to be specific. My general thought was, I want to be able to help anybody, even if I don’t know them and just know that we are there to support them, throughout whatever may come their way.”
North Canton Assistant Superintendent Mr. Dave Pilati plays a significant role as the NCCS organizer in the St. Balrick’s event each year. Not only has he been a shavee, but he also has a strong personal connection to its cause, as he the Foltz family.
“Back when I was working at Plain Local [Schools], the family that started the Canton area/St Baldrick’s, their daughter graduated from GlenOak in 1999. A friend of mine who was a teacher had [Abbey] in class. I never had her in class, but I got to know her parents over the next few years. She passed away when she was a freshman at Ohio State. I got to know some of the family pretty well over the next few years because they were always involved in school district events raising money.”
At the March 10 event at the North Canton Racquet Club, $270,511 was raised. Hoover sophomore Ethan Osborne-Roby has been shaving his head for St. Baldrick’s ever since seventh grade.
“When I started going to North Canton, I was in sixth grade and it was during St. Baldrick’s. I got to hear all about it and see everyone at school with their shaved heads. In seventh grade, I learned the meaning behind it and the founder’s daughter had passed away from cancer — it was such an impactful story that I decided to shave my head for the fi rst time in seventh grade,” he said.
Hoover teams and their student athletes also get involved, including sophomore Brady May.
“The swim team and my peers motivated me, as I noticed that other upperclassmen were doing it, so that persuaded me. The idea of being able to make that drastic of a change to my physical appearance to help raise the awareness for this cause just made it such a good choice,” he said.
The year COVID struck, everyone was extremely worried about what was going to happen with St. Baldrick’s. However, Sowers knew that even though no event would be held, he still had to do something — even if it meant he was going to shave everyone’s head himself.
“Seeing that the middle school students still wanted to shave their heads gave me a reason to find other methods to do that. At one point, I was debating buying a set of clippers and doing it at the school, but then I found a barber that was willing to do it for us, which made things a little bit easier when they cut your hair for you, especially because they’re professional. Seeing that was pretty inspiring,” he said.
There are many ways to participate in the event each year. Pilati believes that everyone needs something to give to or someone to help. With that help, more people would get inspired to do the same and volunteer themselves to a worthy cause.
“If everybody can have that attitude of wanting to help others in some way, we’d make the world a better place and again,” he told The Viking Views in May 2023.
St. Baldrick’s and the event’s participants, fundraisers, donators, and organizers have helped so many, in so many ways.
“It’s a small act for a big cause,” Osborne-Roby said. “Change someone’s life by changing your hair.”
Viking Views Chief Copy Editor Leah Faye contributed to this story from her May 2023 St. Baldrick’s article. For more information, please visit stbaldricks.org
