I have received a great gift from my mom, a trip to New York! This trip was for a very special purpose and there is a very good chance I will come home bald! We will attend a St. Baldrick’s Event on Mar. 16 in Central Park and honor the life of Michael Peterson, my Godson. St. Baldrick's raises funds for childhood cancer research and my friend Barbara Zobian chairs the event. I met Barbara shortly after Michael passed away. Barbara helped us grieve, she took especially good care of Michael's mommy, and sadly, she does this for many families. Currently my hair is down to the middle of my back so baldness will be a dramatic change. However, any drama I may create in my life by going bald cannot compare to the drama forced on a child diagnosed with cancer. The drama of childhood cancer, inflicts pain on the child, robs them of their childhood freedom, and creates a ripple effect of heartbreak that cannot be imagined. In Sept. 2000, I witnessed the final days of my godson life. 10 years later instead of celebrating Michael's 16th birthday, I mourned his death again. When a child dies there are so many milestones you long to see, special birthdays, driver's licenses, graduation, heading off to college and on and on. Here is the thing, St Baldrick's purpose is raising money for childhood cancer research and finding a cure for childhood cancer. This is a life saving milestone many long to see! In the years that Michael has been gone, I wish I could say that I have not known another child with cancer but I have. I was shocked when I saw the limited amount of funding for research that childhood cancer receives. It is far less than other adult cancers. They say that on average a child lost to cancer loses 67 years of life. It is time to find a cure. Children do not have a voice of their own so we need to advocate for them because, as is stated in the slogan of another organization Barbara chairs… "Kids Can't Fight Cancer Alone". For this reason, I hope that you will sponsor me as I shave my head to raise money for Childhood Cancer Research. I hope to raise $2,000 in just a little over a week. If I do, you will see my bald head soon! I will be praying for success! I look forward to shaving my head to be in solidarity with children fighting cancer. Even more than that however, I will appreciate the donations that help scientist and doctors move forward in find ing a cure. Many Blessings for Health and Happiness, Tori Hanson