On Wednesday, May 15 at our Wear a Wig to Knock Out Cancer! event, I'll be joining Lance Delaney '26, Matt Kery '24, Frank Zaino '26, and others in having my head shaved to show solidarity with kids fighting cancer and to raise money in support of research into cures.

It won’t be my first go-round with St. Baldrick’s. In 2011, I had my head shaved at an event through Baker Pediatrics in Trumbull, raising $6,295 in the process. It might be ambitious, but I’d love to hit or eclipse that figure again during Wear a Wig to Knock Out Cancer! and I look to this community to help make that happen.

This is a cause that holds a deep personal importance for me. In 1979, my older sister Leslie, three months shy of her fourth birthday, succumbed to a type of cancer called neuroblastoma. It is in Leslie's memory that I'm taking part in this event, and I do so in the knowledge that our efforts will help to change the course of kids' lives for the better, now and for years to come. Lance’s cousin Maggie, the inspiration for our Team Miracle Maggie, is living proof of that. Treatments that didn’t exist in Leslie’s lifetime are saving lives today, and the money we raise through this event will help to ensure that we continue to ensure the best outcomes for all the kids who suffer.

My humblest thanks to the students, faculty, staff, and administrators who have helped bring this event to fruition, to everyone who has stepped up in generosity, and to all who share my belief that we can make a difference.

Mr. Hoover