St. Baldrick's Foundation

Charlie has had an amazing and very lucky first year of life. It's been full of love, happiness, giggles, poops, and babbling. We are celebrating his good fortune on his first birthday by giving to those who have not been so lucky- children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

While there are so many things that Charlie has in this wonderful life of his, there is one thing he doesn't have very much of: hair. That is why we thought it would be perfect to invite his friends and family to donate to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. St. Baldrick's is a well established charity known for their annual fundraisers in which participants shave their heads to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Charlie's beloved Uncle Bahman has participated in many events to raise money for St. Baldrick's. Charlie is proud to follow in his Uncle Bahman's footsteps!

Dear Fire Recruits, Instructor Staff ,Family, & Friends

I hope this message finds you well and filled with enthusiasm for making a positive impact in our community. As a team, we have a unique opportunity to support children battling cancer and their families through a heartfelt initiative.

We're rallying together to shave our heads in solidarity with those fighting childhood cancer. This act symbolizes our commitment to standing alongside these brave children and showing them that they are not alone in their fight. This in house event will be private and held during school hours but we encourage live streaming and sharing on social media. We're not stopping there – we're also aiming to raise funds to support vital research and provide assistance to families facing the challenges of pediatric cancer. All proceeds will be donated to St Baldrick's Charity.

As many of you may know, Smithfield Fire Department lost a firefighter this month to pediatric cancer from on duty operations. These types of cancers not only affect young children but us as first responders and our family from the hazardous environments we work in. If you don't want to buzz your head we ask that you still attempt to raise donations for the cause.

We have a long career ahead of us and our reputation starts here at the academy. Let's make this first act of solidarity one that every class after us looks to emulate or surpass.

-Recruit Sallberg 031

Want to join Trevor Neeb and Eli Levesque in making a difference? We are shaving our heads and raising money to benefit St. Baldrick's Foundation, and any donation will help make an impact. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.

More information about St. Baldrick's Foundation: The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer and donor powered charity committed to supporting the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. They fund more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Every grant goes through a rigorous scientific review process, ensuring every dollar has the greatest possible impact for children with cancer.

Lily Pham is a young woman who was full of kindness, compassion, and generosity even when fighting for her life. Fifteen months ago, Lily Pham passed away after a lengthy battle with childhood cancer. Following her initial diagnosis at age 5, Lily endured countless treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. At 6 she went into remission and started Kindergarten. For 11 years, Lily lived every moment to the fullest, radiating joy, kindness, and positivity. She ran a half marathon at the age of 14, competed in a notoriously difficult duathlon, got her scuba license, painted, made invaluable memories with friends and family, and most importantly displayed compassion and empathy like nobody else in the world. At 16, Lily's cancer returned. While undergoing numerous treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, multiple surgeries, and experimental clinical trials, Lily refused to let everything that she was going through slow her down. She dedicated her time to art, taking an online class, and raising money and awareness for childhood cancer. At 18, Lily passed away.

 

Before her passing, Lily asked me to “do something good for the world” in her name. This year, in the spirit of Lily's neverending compassion and generosity and for her birthday coming up on December 23rd, I would like to raise money for the St. Baldrick's Foundation in Lily's name.

 

The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a cause that was very dear to Lily's heart. The St. Baldrick's Foundation is dedicated to curing childhood cancer and giving childhood cancer survivors long and healthy lives. As the largest nongovernmental funder of childhood cancer research, they have raised over $312 million to fund 1,644 research grants in 30 countries. The wonderful work of the St. Baldrick's Foundation has impacted many lives.

 

However, there is still a gap in funding. For every $1 million that the St. Baldrick's foundation has been able to dedicate to promising research studies in curing childhood cancer, there is an equal amount of money left unfunded. With your dedication, we can help close that gap, for Lily.