x
Breaking News
More () »

'St. Baldrick's Day' helps raise money for children's cancer research in New Orleans

On Saturday morning, hundreds of people gathered at Finn McCool's Irish Pub to watch more than 80 volunteers shave their heads with the foundation.

NEW ORLEANS — Two local bars were full of people shaving their heads this weekend to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research. 

The St. Baldrick's Foundation has been a staple in New Orleans since 2003. Each March, the organization raises tens of thousands of dollars for childhood cancer research. 

On Saturday morning, hundreds of people gathered at Finn McCool's Irish Pub to watch more than 80 volunteers shave their heads with the foundation. It's the 10th year the pub has hosted the head-shaving event, raising more than $930,000 since 2010 and making bald hundreds of heads in the process, according to the organization.

RELATED: World Cancer Day: 9.6M people die each year from the disease

This year, the fundraising goal from the pub was nearly $137,000, which would put money raised at Finn McCools above $1 million since it joined the cause.  

On Sunday afternoon, another 30-plus volunteers headed to the Deutsches Haus on Bayou St. John with their sights on raising another $60,000 for research. 

RELATED: Nonprofit group advocating for 'patient access to medicines' actually pushes drugmaker message

Volunteers with the foundation like Dean Arnett said sporting a new haircut is nothing given the challenges these children face. 

"Our goal is to, A, get rid of cancer for children all together. So taking childhood back from cancer. But for those that are surviving, so they don't have secondary illnesses, secondary cancers," Arnett said. 

Others said shaving their heads helps show solidarity with children fighting cancer and many of the participants donate that hair to make wigs.

Groups like St. Baldrick's all across the globe gather to shave their heads around St. Patrick's Day to support children who are battling cancer.

RELATED: Louisiana on the forefront of pancreatic cancer research

According to the organization, one in five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive, and those who do survive battle long-term effects after their treatment. 

The St. Baldrick's Foundation is the largest private fundraising organization for childhood cancer research grants in the world, according to the foundation.

RELATED: 2nd patient appears free of virus that causes AIDS after transplant
 

Before You Leave, Check This Out