Volunteers shave their heads to show solidarity for kids with cancer

It's just hair.

That's what so many of the people shaving their heads to benefit childhood cancer research at St. Baldrick's events throughout the area will tell you.

"Mine grows back," said Dan Ferrelli, 49, Aurora Police Department spokesman and public information officer for the city of Aurora. "Mine will always grow back, and that obviously can't be said about the children that we're helping."

Large and small St. Baldrick's events are ongoing throughout the area, with the first-ever West Chicago Police event coming up Sunday, March 21.

St. Baldrick's began in 2000 when three guys turned their St. Patrick's Day party into a benefit for cancer research by asking this question: How much would you donate to see me shave my head for cancer research?

The answer is $74 million in the years since. The St. Baldrick's foundation is now the largest financial supporter of childhood cancer research next to the U.S. government, according to the foundation's Web site.

"You have to love the uniqueness of the event," Ferrelli said. "We're almost walking billboards as a show of solidarity for children with cancer."

Several events already have taken place, including one organized by the Naperville Public Services March 5 that raised more than $101,000 online.

A combined effort on March 14 between the Aurora Police Department and deputies with the Kane County Sheriff's Department is expected to have raised more than $40,000 when all the money is counted.

Joe Woodward of DeKalb went to Aurora's recent St. Baldrick's event planning to morally support his nephew-in-law's cause.

And he walked out bald.

Halfway through the event, Woodward offered to shave if organizers could raise $100 on the spot. Five minutes later, they had $120 in hand and Woodward went bald.

"Those are people who just came to enjoy the festivities, and they're touched by people and the cause," said Dave Adams, an Aurora Police Department evidence technician and crime scene investigator who organized the event. "Those are the stories you talk about afterward: the ones who have no intention of doing it when they walked in, and they walked out with no hair."

A total of 65 men went bald, and an additional seven women donated their hair to Locks of Love at the event at Mike and Denise's Pizzeria and Pub in Aurora.

Typically, five people were being shaved at any given moment throughout the entire five-hour event.

"It was pretty constantly bald in the room," Adams said.

Aurora's event raised more than $23,000 online, which typically accounts for about half of the group's total donations, he said. Day-of donations haven't been tallied yet, but Adams said his team should far surpass their $28,000 goal.

Adams noted that the St. Baldrick's Web site takes about a month to update with the total amount raised by each team because there are so many events nationwide.

In West Chicago, Detective Robbi Peterson has a head of hair that's worth some cash.

"He's got luxurious movie star-type hair," said Waylon Potts, police officer and organizer of the West Chicago event. "He's got a full long head of hair. He's never had his head shaved since he was a baby."

Peterson's tresses are the motivation behind many of those raising funds for the first event organized by the West Chicago Police Department. At least 29 people will be stepping up to get shaved, and more than $8,000 has been raised online so far.

The event takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. March 21 at Hawthorne's Backyard, 1200 W. Hawthorne Lane, West Chicago.

"What's been great for us is how much support we've gotten from our city," Potts said. "It's something that we can build on each year."

Donations can be made year-round to St. Baldrick's at stbaldricks.org.

For all those who said "it's just hair," they know in their hearts that it's more than that.

"I'm going to be proud to walk around bald for a period of numerous weeks," Ferrelli said. "And every time I look in the mirror, I know I'm going to feel good about myself. We know we've helped kids."

St. Baldrick's events

Naperville North High School: 1 p.m. Friday, March 19, at the school, 899 N. Mill St., Naperville

Gaynor's Restaurant and Irish Pub: 3 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at Gaynor's, 6N744 Medinah Road, Medinah

West Chicago Police: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 21, at Hawthorne's Backyard, 1200 W. Hawthorne Lane, West Chicago

Crosstown Pub: April 24 at Crosstown, 909 E. Ogden Ave., Naperville