Joliet Catholic Academy students dared to go bald this past March in an effort to raise funds for childhood cancer research. The opportunity to serve others is interwoven in all of Joliet Catholic Academy’s activities. When FOX News Chicago anchor, Patrick Elwood, approached the school about participating in the FOX Chicago Schools Challenge, students, faculty, staff and alumni joined together in an effort to shave a way to conquer childhood cancer. The FOX Chicago Schools Challenge is all about kids helping kids. Chicago area schools teamed together in an effort to raise funds for Saint Baldrick’s, the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. Students from participating schools took the challenge to heart, with many shaving in honor of family, friends and even classmates.

JCA’s team set a first-time fundraising goal of $5,000. The JCA family not only conquered their goal, they crushed it, raising over $22,000. While battling cancer, children lose not only their hair but years of their childhood, and sometimes their lives. In comparison to their struggle, the JCA Hillmen and Angels believed shaving their heads or cutting off inches was a small sacrifice, and the money raised would make a difference for children with cancer now and in the future. They were proud to participate.

JCA kicked off their Baldrick’s fundraising efforts in January at their pep assembly. Senior Raquel Kairis wanted to participate but was not willing to go bald in her senior year with prom and graduation a few short weeks away. Her desire to help led her to recruit her father’s assistance. Kairis teamed up with her father and raised over $500. She did the fund-raising and he was the “shavee.”

Next came Nate Fonck, who played center for the school’s State Champion football team. Fonck was driven by the thought of helping kids with cancer so he volunteered to shave his head during the kickoff pep assembly. Elwood was so impressed by Fonck’s enthusiasm, he promised to come back and shave Fonck himself. Referring to his hair Elwood told him, “Let it grow, man.” He did just that and come shave time had a bushy head full of thick dishwater blonde hair. Fonck raised over $1,200. Elwood was there to shave his head as promised on “Shave Day at JCA.”

Angel Christine Fisher was willing to cut several inches of her beautiful blonde hair in honor of her best friend Nikki’s father, a hero in Fisher’s eyes; he has struggled with cancer for quite some time. Fisher has witnessed the affects of cancer on a victim as well as the victim’s family. When Fisher first heard of JCA’s Baldrick’s Fundraiser she thought, “Wow, what kind of girl would do something that extreme?” It turns out that she is just that kind of girl and more. She was JCA’s leading female fundraiser, raising over $1,000.

Luke Arbanas, had a very personal reason for participating. Arbanas’s message on his Baldrick’s web page read, “I am a sophomore at Joliet Catholic Academy. My mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is now undergoing chemotherapy. I have seen firsthand, how cancer and its treatment can affect a person’s quality of life. Arbanas was the leading fundraiser collecting over $1,800 in donations.

There are many stories within JCA’s Baldrick’s event, each and every one as compassionate and significant as the other. The rich sense of community and family is evident at the high school. Their Baldrick’s fundraising efforts surpassed their goal by over 400 percent. The total JCA fundraising team consisted of over 60 volunteers who shaved for the cause. The JCA family invite others to help fight childhood cancer by visiting their JCA Baldrick’s website at: www.jca-online.org where they will be accepting donations through the end of the year.