"Shave your noggins! Shave your lids! Go bald to support special kids!"
At age 16, Hannah Jarvis and Maegan Bruce are about to voluntarily do what most teenage girls, or women in general, would absolutely dread: shave their heads.
Over the past 10 years it's become a Squamish tradition to spot strangely bald-headed locals walking the streets each spring, and each pasty-white scalp marks a warm-hearted individual hoping to bring relief to a child suffering from cancer.
Jarvis and Bruce will join the ranks on Saturday (May 7), when they will lose about 25 inches of hair between the two of them at the B.C. Children's Hospital Balding for Dollars event.
"It is just hair and any difference we can make by shaving it is more than worthwhile," said Jarvis.
Balding for Dollars, which raises money for the B.C. Children's Hospital oncology ward while proclaiming "bald is beautiful," is celebrated in communities across B.C. through balding events.
Jarvis and Bruce have been debating participating since last year, and both girls decided this was the year to make it happen.
"It's something we've both wanted to do for a couple years and we decided to do it together," said Bruce, adding that both she and Jarvis have friends and family who've been affected by cancer.
Bruce is donating her hair for a wig and although Jarvis wanted to donate hers as well, dyed hair isn't accepted. Despite the months of bald scalps and short hair to come, both girls are confident in their decision.
"It is hard because it's one of your vanities," Bruce said. "But we have such a supportive group of friends and classmates and our circle in general has been great. Plus we're both pretty confident people in general."
Both girls agree "supportive" isn't a strong enough word to describe the generosity they've experienced since announcing their intent.
The girls have been distributing breast cancer cookies, selling the cookies at school and spent the weekend at Wal-Mart accepting donations.
"Originally we were hoping to raise about $2,500, a dollar for every student in Squamish, and we thought that was huge goal," said Jarvis. "But we've now raised over $4,000. It's amazing how supportive everyone has been!"
Jarvis said it's great to talk with people about the importance of supporting Balding for Dollars, and several have asked whether the girls plan to wear wigs afterward.
"But I think it almost defeats the purpose of doing it," Jarvis said. "We're doing it to show that there are people who are going to lose their hair for chemotherapy and they don't have the choice, whereas we're doing it because we can and not because we have to."
Balding for Dollars' mission is to support and significantly enhance the quality of life and care provided to oncology/hematology patients and their families at B.C. Children's Hospital and other satellite oncology care centres in B.C.
There are approximately 150 new diagnoses of childhood cancer each year in B.C., with 350 children in active treatment and about 1,200 in long-term follow up. Although there has been tremendous progress in successfully treating children and adolescents with cancer, one in every five children diagnosed each year will not survive.
To support someone brave enough to shave, visit www.baldingfordollars.com.
