Dear Friend,

Every year since our son Joey was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2005, I consider whether to again shave my head to raise money for children’s cancer research. This year I’ve been inspired by the story of Tyler Trent. 

Joey Chamness, Tyler Trent … two young men born within a couple of years of each other, both from Indianapolis, students at rival universities, both Cubs fans, both treated at Riley Children’s Hospital for the same disease: osteosarcoma.

Last week Joey and I watched Indiana beat Illinois at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. It’s his senior year at I.U., and he’s planning to start work this year applying his dual major in finance and entrepreneurship/corporate innovation. He’s been free of cancer since his treatment in 2005.

Tyler Trent won’t see another Purdue game, nor will he fulfill his dream of becoming a sportswriter and using his major in business analytics and minor in journalism. He died on New Year’s Day, and his funeral will be held today at College Park Church, two miles from my office.

The articles about Tyler always describe osteosarcoma as “rare.” I say, it’s not rare enough. Your contribution to St. Baldrick’s will help make osteosarcoma and the other terrible pediatric cancers more rare – and more survivable. Research is the only way to diminish and defeat this horrible disease.

So that's why I am again asking for your generous support on my soon-to-be bald head. You can give directly here or by phone (888-899-BALD). Credit cards are the easiest way to give, or you can send or bring a check payable to "St. Baldrick's Foundation."

If you're in Indianapolis on Friday, March 22, please join us at the Northside Knights of Columbus. It's a fun and memorable party, with a buffet dinner beginning at 6 p.m. It may be the only event you'll attend this year where you can mingle with 100 brave baldies, leading pediatric oncologists, and survivors of pediatric cancer. For more than five years, one of our leading fundraisers and shavees has been Tyler’s doctor, Jamie Renbarger, MD, MS, who is also leading an osteosarcoma research project at Riley.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN wrote this about Tyler:

“All of them – all of us – were part of his plan to change the world. The kid was determined to do just that from his hospice bed in his suburban Indianapolis home. The rest of us were becoming vehicles – Purdue football, SVP, all of them – to raise money to find a cure for pediatric cancer. More than that, though, Tyler wanted us to be kind and aware and responsive to the thousands and thousands of young people suffering from incurable cancers the way he did.

“‘There are a lot of kids like me who no one will ever know,’ Tyler told me that afternoon in Carmel, Indiana. ‘I don't want there to be any more of them. I want to play a part in ending all of this.’”

Please consider me a “vehicle” to help St. Baldrick’s and the research we fund “play a part in ending all of this.”

Thank you.

Chuck