Valarie Platz made a deal with her kindergarten class – if they raised $1,500 for cancer research, she would streak her hair the colour of their choice.
In a class vote, the Valleycliffe Elementary students decided on vibrant purple and turquoise.
The students each got the chance to paint a stripe on their teacher’s hair after they met the fundraising goal and, soon after, the whole class joined in.
With their parents’ permission, many of the students added a streak of purple, including one student, Lina Palethorpe, who is a cancer survivor. Even Zoe, the “class dog,” got a bit of added colour.
In an even more daring gesture, Platz and three students shaved their heads on June 7 in a Balding for Dollars assembly, which raised money for programs at BC Children’s Hospital Foundation that benefit oncology, hematology and bone marrow transplant patients. Another teacher donated her long locks to the cause.
In total, the class raised nearly $2,500 from friends, family and acquaintances by setting up lemonade stands on weekends and other fundraising activities. A second Valleycliffe team raised around $3,000, bringing the total for the school to nearly $6,000.
“As for shaving my head, I was ready for it – no regrets. I found it kind of liberating and certainly easy to ready myself for the busy life in the kindergarten class, who now love to pet my head, as well as Zoe (the dog) that got shaved the day after,” said Valarie Platz, who wasn’t scared to go bald, especially since for a cause that has personally touched her. Along with five-year-old Lina, she has also had family members and a close friend affected by cancer.
“I thought it would be a perfect idea to teach children about how to be a part of a team and make a difference,” she said.
Lina’s mom, Kati Palethorpe, said watching her daughter’s kindergarten class rally around the cause was extremely moving. Lina was diagnosed with cancer when she was a newborn and, after a three-year-long fight, she’s now in remission.
“To see the gym full of kids, it felt like we were all one big team, like there was a whole army on our side. All the support is very uplifting,” said Palethorpe. “The fact that Lina is in kindergarten, when many of the families we know haven’t made it here, is a huge thing.”
She said it’s important to bring attention to cancer, and in particular childhood cancer, starting at an early age.
Jessica Udell, the mom of one of Lina’s classmates, made headwear for Platz for after her head was shaved. Her daughter, five-year-old Emma, streaked her hair purple to raise awareness of cancer.
“I did it for people who have cancer, and Lina had cancer,” said Emma. “I was happy to do it for them.”
The Valleycliffe Elementary class is continuing to raise money until the end of June. To support “Mrs. Platz and the Kindhearted Kindergarteners,” go to http://bit.ly/1ZWzIw1.
