Great Clips Salon in Cape hosts Clips for Cancer event
The fifth annual Clips for Cancer event made a stop in Cape Coral Friday, Sept. 21, where pediatric cancer survivors shaved the heads of local community leaders to raise awareness of the effects of cancer treatment.
At Great Clips Salon on Del Prado Boulevard, local survivors from the Cape Coral area helped raise money for Barbara’s Friends — Golisano Children’s Hospital cancer fun. Community leader participants raised a minimum of $5,000 in donations and shaved their heads in a personal show of solidarity for children battling cancer and other blood disorders.
“Clips for Cancer is about empowerment, awareness and raising the critical funds needed to provide state-of-the-art pediatric cancer care close to home,” said Senior Director of Barbara’s Friends, Amy Frith. “There are more than 90 children on active cancer treatment right now at Golisano. We support these kids and their families so that parents can focus on their child beating the disease. The funds raised help provide medications, therapies, counseling, medical equipment, family assistance and more.”
Community leaders that had their head shaved included Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson; Dr. Scott Caesar, a Cape Coral urologist and surgeon; Dr. Jamal Ksar, a diagnostic radiology specialist; Mike Wukitsh, Lee Health’s chief people officer; Dr. Theodore Spinks, Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Golisano Children’s Hospital Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital; Marc Collins, community philanthropist; and Cal Bruno, Chef/Owner, Bruno’s of Brooklyn Restaurant.
Survivors doing that shaving included:
n Kadin Williams, 10 of Cape Coral, who was rushed to the hospital at 6 years old with a severe stomachache. It was cancer, and one kidney was removed followed by seven rounds of radiation and chemo that sometimes kept him in the hospital every day for a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. He is now healthy and energetic and hopes to grow up to be a policeman.
n Elizabeth Higgins, 13, of Cape Coral, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 5. She is now cancer free and would like to become a doctor or lawyer.
n Cali Russell, 15 of Cape Coral, was diagnosed at age 3 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After more than two years of treatment, she is cancer free going on 12 years and dreams of being a Disney Imagineer.
n Jordan DeLorenzo, 16 of Cape Coral, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia at age 12, and underwent blood transfusions, platelets and chemo and is cancer free. He wants to be a doctor or nurse in oncology to help other children.
n Joey Fallenstein, 12, of Cape Coral is in remission now after surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. His diagnosis came on suddenly and treatment was quick thanks to Golisano having a pediatric neurosurgeon now on staff.
n Lilly Bendell, 9, of Fort Myers was diagnosed with leukemia as an infant. She spent two years in intensive treatment. She is now 9, cancer free and dreams of becoming an emergency room doctor when she grows up.
n Annabelle Phillips, 17, of Cape Coral, was diagnosed at age 8 with acute lymphocytic leukemia, which affects blood and bone marrow. After 26 months of intensive treatment, she is cancer free and has long, curly hair, which she hasn’t cut since her treatment.
“It’s incredible to watch these survivors,” Frith said. “There is a moment of victory and complete empowerment the moment they make that first shave down the middle of the lucky adult’s head. They didn’t get a choice about their hair. To have community leaders step up and give these kids a chance to ‘win’ and take back the power that cancer had over them is so inspirational. The kids absolutely love this event. The adults leave pretty inspired too with their new hairdo.”
Every donation makes a difference.
“Clips is all about community and it’s grown from a one-day event into a month-long celebration of these childhood cancer survivors while helping to save the life of a child who’s currently fighting,” Frith said.
Those interested can visit https://p2p.onecause.com/clips2022/challenge