Bald was the new beautiful on Friday as 80 people had their heads shaved, raising more than $200,000 in one night for child cancer research.
The second Heroes for Hannah shave event attracted hundreds of supporters who descended on The Wicket in Cricket Square Friday. They were there to support Hannah Meeson, age 7, the impetus of the fundraiser, who has been battling medulloblastoma, a rare type of brain cancer, since she was just 4-years-old.
Hannah’s parents, Gaylene and Nigel Meeson, were the first ones to hit the stage, shedding their locks together with Hannah’s sister Verity.
“I’m ecstatic, I think it’s bigger and better than last year,” said Mrs. Meeson. “And, I think we’ve built on the awareness we created last year, and I think we’ve got more people and different people because more people are aware that children get cancer.”
Among those who went under the barber’s shears was George Town MLA Winston Connolly, who raised nearly $5,000 for the cause. He also attended last year’s fundraiser and had his head shaved then as well.
“I couldn’t not come back and try and do it for other children. I had a roommate in law school and she died of cancer two years ago … This is the least I can do to come out and support such a great cause,” he said.
Jamie McGee of Walkers raised $10,600 in just three weeks.
“Once you look in terms of the kids, you see a smile on their face,” said Mr. McGee. “You know they’ve got something that they are going to have to deal with the consequences of for the rest of their lives, it really does touch you. And, any bit we can do to help is a phenomenal deal.”
Kay Curry was the top individual fundraiser, raising $11,520, while Joanne Verbiesen raised $10,230.
Several teams took part in the shave. Walkers raised $28,000, followed by Dart’s team who raised $23,900. Hannah’s support also extended to Houston, Texas, where “Team Lilli” had their heads shaved and raised $19,136.
In addition to supporting Hannah, this event also honored other local children, including 1-year-old Skylar “Mimi” Ebanks, who has been diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a type of malignant tumor mostly found in young patients.
Other local kids battling cancer were also honored at the event, including Charli Foster, 7, who is now cancer free; 3-year-old Beau Shields who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer when he was 5 months old; Annabelle Reading, 2, who has leukemia; and 7-year-old Tayden Grant who was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 3.
The Cayman Islands Cancer Society currently assists eight families with children who suffer from cancer.
After the three-hour spectacle was finished, another fundraiser was held the following day by Hannah’s 7-year-old friends, who organized a lemonade stand at Governor’s Harbor in honor of Hannah.
By Sunday, the grand total of funds raised stood at $208,581. The hope is to raise up $250,000 by Christmas, Mrs. Meeson said.
Funds will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer research charity in the United States, which works to find cures for childhood cancers.
For more photos of the event, see In Focus, page 8.
To support childhood cancer research through online donations, visit stbaldricks.org/events/heroesforhannah.
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