Rez association donates students’ hair and $1,700 to help young cancer survivors
Photo courtesy of Candace Blake
If you see any bald-headed students on campus this semester, feel free to show them your support.
The Residents’ Association of the University of Ottawa (RAUO) held a fundraiser for young people affected by cancer called Shave for the Brave on Feb. 3.
Twelve willing participants collected pledges and six shaved their entire heads, while the other six lopped off more than 10 inches of their hair.
Marketing manager Kelly Strickland said that, on average, shavers raise significantly more than other types of fundraisers due to the power of sacrifice. “Our culture understands the value of hair,” she said.
The RAUO donated the hair and more than $1,700 to Wigs for Kids, a partner organization of Young Adult Cancer Canada.
The charity helps more than 7,000 young adults diagnosed with cancer each year in Canada. Donations fund support programs such as retreats and conferences for patients to connect with one another.
Strickland said these programs are proven to fundamentally change the lives of survivors who attend.
“Young adults crave peer support because cancer is different for young adults, it’s all relative to stage of life,” she said. “Issues like fertility, relationships, and career … take a toll on a young adult’s emotional well-being.”
Candace Blake, a third-year international studies and modern languages student and a LeBlanc Residence building rep, was the brains behind the RAUO’s fundraiser and was amongst those who shaved their heads.
“Choosing to fundraise for a cancer charity supporting young adults is relatable to university students as young adults themselves,” said Blake, who individually raised $675.
Second-year Spanish student KiAnne Little said many people in her family have been diagnosed with cancer.
“I want to empathize with them and let them know that I’m there for them,” she said.
Blake too explained the significance of the fundraiser. Her uncle passed away from cancer about a year ago. His passing inspired her to organize and participate in the event to commemorate her uncle a year after his death.
It was also the 10-year anniversary of Shave for the Brave events across Canada, held the day before World Cancer Day on Feb. 4.
Blake said Shave for the Brave was one of the RAUO’s biggest events of the year. The group has more fundraisers to come, with a food drive currently in the works.
Strickland said fundraisers are vital in helping organizations like Young Adult Cancer Canada, which caters to the special needs of young, brave patients. “We need more support to reach more survivors, more deeply.”
