Canadian Luge Athlete Gets Inspirational Haircut for Kids Cancer Care

Canadian luge athlete, Arianne Jones, received a motivational boost on the road to achieving her Olympic dream on Thursday. November 1st. With her sights focused on Sochi 2014, Jones spent the morning at the track trimming her locks while giving and receiving inspiration alongside the Kids Cancer Care community.

Encouraged by 12-year-old youth luge athlete Sam Judson, who trimmed her hair for charity last year, Calgary’s pint-sized 22-year-old Jones decided to lend a foot of her locks and raise money for Kids Cancer Care. Jones plans to donate the hair to Angel Hair for Kids who provides wigs at no cost to children who lose their hair to cancer or other diseases.

“As an athlete you become so focused on the day-to-day highs and lows along the journey to achieving your Olympic dreams that it is easy to lose perspective on the real challenges in life that others are facing,” said Jones – who added that she established an immediate connection with Judson, someone she handed used equipment down to, as they are both tiny in stature.

“To see my young teammate, and someone I was helping along, be so tuned in to the adversities of these incredible children who have battled cancer made me realize that to truly represent Canada, I have to do more than just compete. I believe the true spirit of being an Olympian realizes itself when you leverage your privileged position as a role model to positively impact others while bringing awareness to important causes like Kids Cancer Care.”

As is the case with far too many Canadians, the connection to cancer also exists deep into the luge community.

Calgary luger and cancer survivor, 12-year-old Chris Rowell emceed the event, introducing Jones to an enthusiastic audience of teens. Samantha Andres, whose battle scars with cancer include an amputated leg, shared her story of triumph and adversity before joining Rowell and Judson at the start line to make the first cut in Jones’ waist-length hair.

“It is events like today that encourage other young kids like myself to fight and believe they too will achieve their goals of getting healthy,” said Rowell. “Many of us understand how hard it must be to have cancer, but big-hearted people like Arianne, along with organizations like Kids Cancer Care, allow us to forget about our disease for a few hours and for that I am grateful. Lucky for me, I am fully recovered. Now I feel like I can give back, and have committed to raising money to help make battling cancer a little easier for other children.”

Following an inspirational presentation that culminated with getting the most memorable haircut of her life, Jones and a group of her Olympic teammates gave the kids a luge demonstration before giving them a chance to hop on a sled and take a trip down the icy chute themselves. 

“Part of my goal in doing this was to inspire these kids and give them a little hope, but I am blown away by their strength, positive attitude and outlook on life and sport,” said Jones. “As a result, I assure you the big learning in all of this is I am the one who is leaving here today most inspired. I’m more motivated now than ever to chase my dreams having witnessed first hand the extraordinary challenges these kids face. They will have a special seat on my sled with me as we slide closer to Sochi.”

Jones’ journey towards achieving her Olympic dream continues November 24-25 when the World Cup season kicks off in Igls, Austria. Canada will play host to the 2013 World Championships at the Whistler Sliding Centre, February 1-2, 2013.

In addition to donating her hair, Arianne also raised over $2,500 for Kids Cancer Care: https://secure.csfm.com/kidscancer/shaveyourlidforakid/home/profile.php?participant_id=770676591347646690

Watch the video from the event: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/news-video/video-canadian-luger-arianne-jones-loses-locks-for-charity/article4898398/

Kids Cancer Care’s Shave Your Lid for a Kid Program also encompasses hair donations by working alongside Angel Hair for Kids. Learn more: http://www.kidscancercare.ab.ca/hair_donation.htm

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

SEPTEMBER is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) and we are inviting you to help us make a difference in the lives of children affected by childhood cancer by shaving or cutting your hair through Kids Cancer Care’s Shave Your Lid for a Kid program.

Children affected by cancer have to go through many treatments, and more often than not, these treatments cause these brave kids to lose their hair. Help us support children affected by cancer and prove bald is beautiful by shaving or cutting your hair.

Taking part in the Shave Your Lid for A Kid program will raise funds to support Alberta families in four critical areas: Camp and Community Outreach, Childhood Cancer Research, Hospital Programs and Scholarships.

Kids Cancer Care’s goal is to host as many shaves as possible in this month to help create awareness, raise essential funds and show support to Alberta families battling childhood cancer. Join us this month as we stand in unison to prove that Kids Can beat this!

If you are interested in participating in a shave as an individual, school, community group or company, please click here to register your shave today!  

If September does not fit into your personal schedule but you would still like to participate, please consider supporting Kids Cancer Care another time! The Shave Your Lid for a Kid program runs year round and is structured to make it as fun and easy as possible for you to participate!  

If you need any additional information regarding the Shave Your Lid for a Kid program, please contact Leah at nelner@kidscancercare.ab.ca or 403.984.1223. Click here to watch our shave video!

Angel Hair for Kids

Kids Cancer Care’s Shave Your Lid for a Kid program supports the Angle Hair for Kids program. When our shavees and hair donors donate their hair we recommend donating to this amazing foundation. Read below to learn more about the foundation, hair donation and wigs for kids! Please note Kids Cancer Care does not accept hair donations. Please contact or send your hair donation to Angle Hair for Kids.

Every year Canadian children suffer hair loss due to a variety of causes including such things as cancer treatments or burns.  In order to help these children build their confidence, a program called Angel Hair for Kids was created. 

Angel Hair for Kids is a program that was created by A Child’s Voice Foundation, which was founded in 1995. A Child’s Voice Foundation is a Canadian charity that helps change the lives of financially disadvantaged children across Canada.  The two main programs that the charity provides are Kids Life Line, and Angel Hair for Kids. 

Angel Hair for Kids is a particularly unique program because it helps disadvantaged children in Canada that have lost their hair because of medical conditions or treatments, with both wigs and solutions to hair loss.  This particular program was created to help improve a child’s self-esteem and self-image while the child undergoes difficult and strenuous times.

In order for A Child’s Voice Foundation to manufacture one wig, it will take approximately 10-12 donated ponytails from people who have generously donated their hair. Kids Cancer Care encourages shavees to donate their hair if it is at least 12 inches in length, clean, dry, and free of chemical treatments to Angel Hair for Kids. 

KCC strongly believe in donating your hair to A Child’s Voice Foundation because the Angel Hair for Kids program directly benefits children living within Canada.  This means, that Kids Cancer Care and A Child’s Voice Foundation are keeping the funds raised, and the hair donated, within the country.  This allows children within our own nation to receive the help and support they deserve!

For more information on the Angel Hair for Kids program please visit: http://www.acvf.ca/index.php/our-programs/angel-hair-for-kids/

Learn more about Shave Your Lid for a Kid or sign up to donate your hair:

http://www.kidscancercare.ab.ca/shave_your_lid_for_a_kid.htm

KIDS CAN make a difference!

When Kids Cancer Care first arrived at Good Shepard School to meet Sydney we were impressed by her confidence and mesmerized by her cuteness. Not only has Sydney made the brave decision to cut off her pony tail once, but now twice! Sydney is proof that KIDS CAN make a difference.  Written by her mom, this is her story.

 “Sydney Grenkow, who is just turning 7 in December of 2011, cut her 11 ½  braid off at Good Shepherd School on November 29, 2011.  Her grade two teacher was the one who officially cut the braid off in front of all of her peers in the school gymnasium.  Her teacher was quoted saying “She is an exceptional little girl.  We have all been touched by cancer in some way and having someone so small set such a good example for the other students at the school is really quite amazing.”  

This is the second time she has given back for the fight against cancer.  She did the same act of kindness when she was in Kindergarten as well.  The hair goes to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program where they make wigs for cancer patients.  Along with the donation of her hair, we raised money for the Kids Cancer Care through the Shave a Lid for a Kid program. Sydney’s motivation comes from both of her Grandparents surviving cancer.

As parents, this has been one of the most proud moments we’ve had.  She plans on doing this all over again once her hair grows back.  Her hair grows quite fast so this same event will probably take place when she is in Grade 4.   What amazes me about Sydney cutting her hair for cancer awareness is how humble she is about her kindness.  She doesn’t boost about it or talk about it unless asked.   That is the very essence of giving, selflessly from the heart with no self-gratification but the feeling of doing something kind for someone else.  She inspires us all including me, her Mom. ”

-Candace Grenkow

The Shave Your Lid for a Kid program not only features individuals’ shaving their heads but also brave individuals’ undergoing drastic haircuts to donate their hair towards making wigs. Kids Cancer Care works with Angle Hair for Kids. To learn more please visit: http://www.acvf.ca/index.php/our-programs/angel-hair-for-kids/

To sign up to “cut your hair for a kid” please register here: https://secure.csfm.com/kidscancer/shaveyourlidforakid/register/index.php

BraidShare!

Meet Samantha Brown.…a first year student at the University of Calgary earning her Bachelor of Health Sciences Degree in Biomedical Sciences. At the age of 6 Sam started a personal initiative called BraidShare. Since then, she has donated her hair 3 times, a total of 48.5 inches! In addition to her hair donation, along with friends and family, she has raised over $10,000 for Kids Cancer Care! This is her story….

“I was first inspired to donate my hair at the age of 6 while watching my favorite TV show, Zoom. On the show I watched a vignette of a girl cutting and donating her hair to make a wig. This led to a family discussion about cancer and illness-related hair loss and why it is important for people to donate their hair. I had always had longer hair, so I thought hey, I want to do that too! Two years later, when I was 8 years old, I did my first "Hair Harvest," donating 12 inches of my hair. Around this time, I decided that there should be a name for the donating of my hair. I came up with the name “BraidShare”, a name I felt, and still believe, is a best representation of what it is that I do—I share my braids. Ever since then, the name just stuck.

Three years later, in 2005, I was ready to donate my hair again. This time, I wanted to do some fundraising as well. My sister Amanda (who had donated her hair with me the first time along with our mom) and I came across the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta's Camp Kindle. Camp Kindle is a special camp for kids and their siblings who have been touched by cancer. The tuition of the camp is covered 100% by donations, so their families don't have to pay anything. Summer camp has always been (and still is) a favorite part of our year, and we believe that even if you are sick or your family is going through a rough time, you should still get to have fun and go to camp. So, together we crocheted and sold bookmarks that looked like little braids. We raised $500, enough to send a kid to camp, and donated our hair again. This time I donated 21.5 inches, and Amanda donated 18 inches.

We didn't stop there. The following year, the cost to send a kid to camp went up to $900. We needed to do more than selling bookmarks, so we decided to organize a craft fair as a fundraiser. All of the money from renting vendor tables went to the KCCFA. This was extremely successful and we organized our fundraiser holiday craft fair for 4 years, each time raising over $1000.

In 2007, we donated our hair again (15 inches for me, 12 inches for Amanda), but this time we were joined by our brother, Dennis, who participated in the Shave Your Lid for a Kid program (he has now done a total of three shaves so far). To date, the three of us have raised over $10,000 for Camp Kindle. On Wednesday, April 18th, I will be doing my fourth hair harvest. I want to raise another $1000 to send another kid to camp. With the support of my community, I have raised $721 in only a couple of days!”

-Sam

If you are interested in making a donation to Sam's 2012 BraidShare, please follow the link: https://secure.csfm.com/kidscancer/shaveyourlidforakid/home/profile.php?participant_id=411833671333480838

 Learn more about Camp Kindle: http://www.kidscancercare.ab.ca/camp.htm

Friends of Karlee

The Lewis family is a Kids Cancer Care family that we hold very near and dear to our hearts. Ron Lewis and his son Ryley have been hard at work organizing a Shave Your Lid for a Kid event to take place on May 25^th at Sommerset School. The event is called “Friends of Karlee,” in honour of Ron’s Daughter Karlee’s cancer journey. The shave was organized as an appreciation to Kids Cancer Care as we supported the Lewis family during Karlee’s fight. This is a story of family, community, love and courage. This is their story…

“Getting a diagnosis of cancer is devastating anytime, but it is even more difficult when it is your 3 year old daughter.  That is what happened to our family on Friday August 6^th, 2010 when our daughter Karlee was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  A lot of emotions, thoughts and fears run through you in a very short time and then reality sets in and you realize that you need to look at it as a journey with ups and downs and an end point.  We chose to look at this journey with faith & hope and to make the best of an awful situation.  The Kids Cancer Care Foundation makes it easier for patients, siblings and entire families to have a positive outlook and have support.

The KCCFA came into our lives on Tuesday August 10^th, 2010.  Karlee was in surgery to have her port inserted and Ryley was in the family room on Unit 1 when he was asked if he would like to go to camp next week.  We were absolutely shocked that an organization would offer to help Ryley.  He went to camp and had a fabulous time, got to meet some great friends, volunteers and staff and saw that this awful disease didn’t have to bring people down.  In the fall we got a chance to go to camp as a family.  Karlee’s blood counts were very, very low but the doctors agreed to let her go.  We went to camp with the attitude that we were going to have some fun as a family, but we underestimated the power of camp.  The relationships you make at camp teach you so much about healing, support and strength.  When we got back from camp Karlee’s counts had risen to their highest level since she was diagnosed.  At camp there are warriors, survivors and their families and well as the families of angles.  Each of these people can teach you so much about the human spirit and the ability to overcome.

Kids Cancer Care has allowed our family to take part in many events that we wouldn’t have been able to while dealing with cancer.  They have also connected us with other families who have provided another level of support in helping us get through everything and in showing us that there is life after cancer. We have tried to give back to this organization by volunteering for events when we are able, donating money from slipper sales and now organizing a Shave Your Lid for a Kid event.  Right before Survivor Day last year we decided we wanted to give something back.  As someone who has shaved my head for 15 years I realized I needed to do something a little different to raise money by shaving so I decided to grow my hair for a year!  Ryley also agreed to shave his head and has been growing his hair since October.  We started talking to up over the summer and started signing people up in January.  We already have 20 people who are shaving their heads.  Somerset School, which both kids attend, is partnering with us and going to help make this a great event.  So far we have raised over $16,000 and we still have 2 months to go.

Our journey has had its challenges with numerous hospital visits (some planned and some not so planned), lots of chemo and other medications and a few scary moments, including Karlee coding in the clinic and the code team having to revive her.  It has also had lots of special moments like camp, sporting events and family time.  Many of the special moments have been made possible by Kids Cancer Care and have been made extra special by their incredible staff and volunteers.  There is no way to say thank you enough times to the KCCFA for the incredible work they do for families that need the support they offer.”

-Ron Lewis

To donate to the Friends of Karlee shave: https://secure.csfm.com/kidscancer/shaveyourlidforakid/home/profile_group.php?group_id=496992321327074991

If you are interested in joining this shave and shaving your head to show support and raise funds for childhood cancer, please email Leah at Nelner@kidscancercare.ab.ca

Braving for a Friend

Meet Sawyer, a 10 year old girl shaving her head and donating her hair on her 11th Birthday! In grade 3 a classmate of hers, Nicole, bravely battled cancer for some time and lost her battle in the summer of 2010. Sawyer states she was so brave and always smiling. Sawyer is dedicating her shave to Nicole and all the kids like her who should not have to go through something like that at such a young age. This is her story…

Read her feature story in the Metro Newspaper:

http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/local/article/1131152--a-shave-for-a-brave-friend 

To donate please visit Sawyer's page: 

https://secure.csfm.com/kidscancer/shaveyourlidforakid/home/profile.php?participant_id=281520061329150801