Plenty of locks being shaved to fight pediatric cancer

By Sunday afternoon, 63 men and a few little boys had signed up to get their heads shaved in Aurora as part of a fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research.

And then there was Deb Johnson. A resident of Chicago's southwest side, Johnson made her way to Mike and Denise's Pizzaria & Pub in Aurora to do what most women might consider heresy.

"I still look cute, right?" Johnson asked as a volunteer ran clippers across her head, shearing off sections of her reddish brown hair.

Organizers said Sunday's benefit at the Aurora bar was expected to raise more than $25,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a charity which raises money for childhood cancer research.

One of the first people up to get shaved was Dave Adams, an Aurora police officer who helped start the local fundraising effort three years ago.

"At the time, Aurora had no Baldrick's event," Adams said. "It was a shame for a city as big as Aurora."

Adams also started a companion Web site to collect online donations. By Sunday, the site amassed more than $11,000.

Johnson took part in Sunday's shave-off as a show of solidarity for a friend who is going through her own cancer treatment.

"It wasn't so bad," Johnson said of having been shaved. "It's the easiest way to get rid of any gray hair."

Pound-for-pound, David Branton of Cicero likely lost more hair than any other participant. The Cicero man began growing his beard and locks of hair shortly after last year's benefit. He also enlisted friends and co-workers in helping to raise nearly $1,000 for the charity.

"Both my parents and my sister passed away from the disease," he said. "They weren't children, but I'll do anything to make sure others don't go through what I had to go through."