Ellis secretary shaves off hair for cancer fundraiser

Ellis Middle School secretary Cyndi Downey's head is going to be a bit colder in the coming days.

Gathered in the Elgin school's library among staff members, friends and family, Downey shed all her hair Thursday morning.

Downey had dared the staff and students to raise $1,000 to help Christian Acevedo, an eighth-grader at Kenyon Woods Middle School in South Elgin, raise money for St. Baldrick's and childhood cancer research.

"I never thought in a million years that we could do it, but we did it in six hours," Downey said.

Every year since 1999 people raise money and awareness for cancer by shaving their heads. According to stbaldricks.org, the foundation raised more than $34 million last year.

Joseph Guiliano of Joseph's Hair and Fashion Salon in Elgin donated his time to make sure Downey looked just right after the momentous event.

Downey said she was proud she and Acevedo, who also had shaved his head earlier this year, would look alike.

"I am proud of Christian," she said. "He is my inspiration."