Adyn Pickett and Jordan DeLorenzo at the start of their friendship. In memory of Adyn, who died of cancer in 2022, DeLorenzo, now 18, will again have his head shaved this year in honor of his best friend, DeLorenzo has been a “shaver” in all six Clips for Cancer events. Contributed photo

A Cape Coral resident is honoring a friendship — one of comfort — that started at Golisano Children’s Hospital during Clips for Cancer.

Childhood cancer survivors and patients will shave the heads of community leaders, who will help raise money and awareness — while showing that being bald is a sign of strength, rather than weakness, in the long fight through chemotherapy treatment.

“For any of our kids, they didn’t have the choice to lose their hair. No child with cancer wants that side effect. To voluntarily and willingly — makes such a strong statement of love and commitment,” Barbara’s Friends & Children’s Miracle Network Senior Director Amy Frith said.

Cape Coral resident Jordan DeLorenzo, 18, who has been a shaver in all six Clips for Cancer events, will have his head shaved this year in honor of his best friend, Adyn Pickett, who passed away in 2022. Pickett’s sister, Abby, 11, will shave DeLorenzo’s head in honor of his friend.

DeLorenzo met Pickett while going through treatment. They often went to each other’s room to hang out during treatment, talking, playing games and going to events.

Adyn Pickett and Jordan DeLorenzo, Christmas 2022. Contributed photo

“It’s Barbara’s Friends that support these kids. Kids with cancer need friends. That is what the community supporting Barbara’s Friends is about. Being a really good friend to a child and family that needs that support,” Frith said.

The community can support DeLorenzo by visiting

https://p2p.onecause.com/clips2024/jordan-delorenzo.

“He’s so supportive of everything Barbara’s Friends. He is one of those kids that not only went through treatment, but is an advocate for all the other children in treatment and he encourages them,” Frith said.

The annual event, Clips for Cancer, will be held at Bell Tower Shops from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. The shaving will take place at 10 a.m. inside Dave & Buster’s community room. The other activities, free of charge, will include games, animal encounters, first responder meet-and-great with a touch-a-truck, as well as tours of the sensory friendly, first of its kind, Golisano Ambulance. The “Go Gold” Bell Tower Shopping & Dining Discount Card will also be available to purchase, which will benefit Barbara’s Friends.

This year’s theme, “Go Gold for Golisano,” is in recognition of the awareness symbol for childhood cancer — the gold ribbon. The community is invited to join the Go Gold and Fight Like a Kid — by either braving a shaved head and fundraising or donating to Barbara’s Friends — Golisano Children’s Hospital’s cancer fund.

DeLorenzo was diagnosed with leukemia on April 12, 2018, his mother’s birthday. His symptoms began with a fever that would not go away, eventually leading him to the doctor and having blood work done.

“The doctors and nurses there made sure I was comfortable as I could be. They brought in various things to distract you from medicine,” DeLorenzo said.

He said there is a whole room dedicated to toys as well as a room for teenagers with board games and video games.

“It gives you a distraction to all the stuff that is going on around you,” DeLorenzo said, as well as going to the garden and taking big breaths of fresh air.

Twice during treatment, he had toxicity towards the medicine he was taking, leaving him spending months at the hospital.

“Being outside, walking around really helped,” DeLorenzo said.

Six months into treatment, he went into remission.

“My body was cancer free,” DeLorenzo said, adding he finished treatment three and a half years ago.

He said shaving their heads helps kids mentally, as going through treatment can take a toll.

“Getting to do something other than just sit in the hospital bed, getting to be out there doing something, helps a lot mentally,” DeLorenzo said.

Frith said 21 have signed up to shave so far. Last year the event attracted 60 who were involved in head shaving.

“People sign up a lot in September. We hope to continue to grow that. Last year we raised almost $400,000 for kids with cancer,” she said of their biggest fundraiser.

This year the goal is $350,000.

Those who want to become a shavee, can register for $25 and set up a personal fundraising goal and page to support the cause.

Frith said every shavee has a page online, kind of like a walk, to make a donation towards their head being shaved with 100% going back to Golisano and the cancer program. Those can be found at https://p2p.onecause.com/clips2024.

Once the kids are done and have completed their masterpiece of baldness, an adult with Great Clips will step in and clean it up to finish off the good, fresh, shave.

Clips for Cancer is an empowering event as people are giving up their hair and seeing first-hand the kids who are fighting cancer, Frith said.

“They get to see the kids that are currently in treatment and are fighting and need those resources. It is an emotional, heartwarming, cheers and teers,” event she said.

This is the first year the event will be held at Bell Tower to make it a true whole community, family fun day event. The Clips for Cancer was held at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital before COVID struck and the children could not be exposed to germs. It was moved to Great Clips where everyone was spaced out with only eight kids shaving heads with everyone in masks while being broadcast on Facebook.

“We were finally able to bring it back to the hospital last year. There was such a crowd; we quickly outgrew the space,” Frith said.

Since Bell Tower has been an amazing supporter, the event will be held there as the community center is large.

“There might be standing room only,” Frith said.

Barbara’s Friends, which is directly affiliated with Golisano Children’s Hospital is now 28 years old and has helped more than 12,000 kids locally with cancer and blood disorders.

“Cancer is such a journey, and it impacts the whole family,” Frith said. “Funds we raise help provide things you think are so simple.”

Among them have been gas cards, transportation, and meals so parents can eat bedside. Barbara’s Friends also provides scholarships help youths who have gone through cancer to achieve their dream. She said it’s about providing the resources and care they need, so they can beat this awful disease.

“We are taking care of the whole family. Making sure we celebrate birthdays, end of chemo celebrations — balloons, cakes, toys, video games,” Frith said. “It’s wrapping the whole family in a hug.”

DeLorenzo said Barbara’s Friends is probably one of the best things a youth patient can ask for.

“They help them, they help the families too, not just the kids. They are helping the family, siblings, to make sure they can all get through this together. Sometimes kids aren’t fortunate enough to have someone there with them. Barbara’s Friends makes it to where you can have someone there to be by your side when no one else can,” he said.

DeLorenzo, an Ida Baker High School graduate, will attend Cape Coral Technical College to pursue graphic design.

“One of my favorite things to do in treatment was drawing. It helped me get away from everything. I realized that I could do something with this other than sit in my room and draw,” he said.