SAVED BY A SHAVE

Shortly before sophomore Phil McLaughlin's high school graduation, he decided to stop cutting his hair. For nearly two years, he managed to grow his locks into an afro. However, after an absence of haircuts, McLaughlin bid farewell to the hair March 17, a date that marked St. Baldrick's Day, when many like McLaughlin entered the event with a full mane of hair and left with a clean, shaven head.\nSt. Baldrick's Day, a national charity that began in 1999, supports children's cancer research by requiring participants to raise money in exchange for a promise of a shaven head. In other words, participants fund-raise by asking the question, "How much would you pay to see me shave my head?" Once the contributor has raised $100, they may partake in St. Baldrick's Day.\n"St. Baldrick's Day was something I had been anticipating from the beginning," McLaughlin said. "This is definitely something people should get into because it's such a worthy cause. It doesn't take a terrible amount of effort, either."\nThe charity began as a friendly challenge between three business colleagues who wanted to give back to the community, according to www.stbaldricks.org. They planned on raising $17,000 by March by asking 17 colleagues to raise $1,000 each. They exceeded their goal, however, and raised $104,000. Six years later, St. Baldrick's Day is now the world's largest event for childhood cancer. According to the Web site, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. Because of statistics such as these, the St. Baldrick's Foundation hopes to raise awareness and funds for the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.\nMcLaughlin heard of the event because his uncle, Patrick Carroll, organized and held a St. Baldrick's Day celebration for the fourth consecutive year in Schererville, Ind., to serve the northwestern Indiana area. The St. Baldrick's Web site lists 213 different locations for St. Baldrick's Day celebrations. For McLaughlin, this year's event took place at a local Schererville restaurant, The Quest Eatery and Spirits.\n"I always knew the event existed because of my uncle and family friends. I have watched the event grow, and I wanted to do some kind of charity," McLaughlin said. "I passed on last year's event so I could grow my hair long enough so that I could donate to St. Baldrick's and Locks of Love."\nMcLaughlin donated a 10-inch ponytail to Locks of Love, which is not directly affiliated with the St. Baldrick's Foundation, but donates hair to make hairpieces for people under 18 years old who suffer from long-term medical hair loss. McLaughlin said occasionally some will grow out their hair before shaving to give to both charities. Ashley Hayhurst, McLaughlin's cousin and an IU junior, chopped her long blond locks to donate to both charities. \nOn St. Baldricks's Day, Hayhurst decided to cut her hair to her chin spontaneously after spending an hour at the event. She raised more than $100 and donated three ponytails to Locks of Love after cutting her hair, which she always has kept long.\n"It's definitely a big change to have my hair short, and I'm still getting used to it; but it's easier for me to accept it because I know it was for a good cause," Hayhurst said.\nAt the St. Baldrick's Day event, people from the community packed the restaurant shoulder to shoulder. The sounds of local bands filled the room as attendees watched or participated in the shavings on the three stools in the corner of the room. A disc jockey announced the shavees' names as they stepped up to the three stools. McLaughlin said people usually are still fund-raising at the event by passing around a hat or devising last-minute tactics for raising money. McLaughlin's brother entertained the crowd with his musical rendition of "Danny Boy" to raise a quick $135.\n"People went to St. Baldrick's Day not planning on shaving and ended up shaving anyway," McLaughlin said. "There was a wide range of emotions there. Some people were nervous. Some were loud and drunk in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. Some were emotional because there were a few cancer survivors there and families of children with cancer."\nMcLaughlin said his parents were looking forward to the event most because McLaughlin was not only losing his afro but also was shaving for a good cause.\n"The smiles on my parents' faces were really overexaggerated in the pictures we got back from the event," McLaughlin said.\nHayhurst said she remained calm and collected before the big haircut.\n"The moment before I got my hair cut, I was more excited than nervous," Hayhurst said. "I didn't cry like I thought I would, but my mom cried."\nAlong with the multiple teams of shavees, such as the community's police and fire departments, other men, women and children consented to losing their hair. McLaughlin said a 7-year-old girl decided on the spur of the moment to cut her hair very short, and other preteens, teenagers and policewoman shaved their entire heads. Because McLaughlin shaved the most hair, the crowd gave him the award of "King Shavee."\nCarroll, Hayhurst and McLaughlin all plan on participating in St. Baldrick's Day again. \n"Once people get involved, they stay involved," Carroll said. "Charity is my passion, and I love what the St. Baldrick's Foundation does. They stepped up to bat to find a cure. I don't know where we would be without it."\nWhile Carroll is already planning for next year's event, McLaughlin is looking into holding a St. Baldrick's Day event on campus. He also will continue to raise money until May. Donations can be made online at www.stbaldricks.org in McLaughlin's name. McLaughlin said he has raised $600 so far and hopes to publicize the event to raise more money for the St. Baldrick's Day charity.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Molly Krvitz at mekravitz@indiana.edu.