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Columbia Residents Shave Heads for Cancer Research

  Columbia residents gathered to shave their heads on Saturday in support of pediatric cancer research through a fundraiser held by the University of Missouri medical school.

MU medical students organized the event in partnership with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to raise money to help fund pediatric cancer research grants. Forty-five people agreed to shave their heads as a demonstration of support for children who have undergone treatment for cancer.

The fundraiser also hosted a group of “honored kids,” or children who were in treatment or had been treated for cancer, and adopted a carnival atmosphere for their benefit. Besides the head-shavings, the fundraiser included booths where kids could create balloon animals, decorate cupcakes and play an assortment of games.

The oldest of the event’s honored kids was 16-year-old Zoe Wagner. In April of last year, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Within four months, her cancer was in remission. She said says large community support for cancer research is an encouraging step towards finding a cure.

“Well, childhood cancer is more of a taboo thing and it’s sort of hush-hush on people’s minds,” Wagner said. “They don’t really draw a lot of attention to it because it is a sad thing. But when I see things like this, it gives me hope that it’s coming to light a little more and people are really taking initiative and finding a cure.”

This year’s fundraiser marks the fifth year the MU medical school has shaved people’s heads for charity. In those five years, the event has raised over $170,000 towards pediatric cancer research.

Austin Ostermeier has worked with the event for four years and was in charge of this year’s event. He says the hardest part of setting up a head-shaving fundraiser is to get volunteers.

“It’s surprisingly difficulty to get people to part ways with their hair,” Ostermeier said. “Luckily, we had 45 people say yes and volunteer to shave their heads this year, but that’s always one of the trickier things.”

In total, the event raised about $28,000 for pediatric cancer research. The money will be donated directly to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raised over $39 million in 2014.

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