Students Go Bald for a Cause

With his back to us and visibly moved, Bikram Khaira unwound his long hair for what was to be the finale of the No Bald Heads cancer fundraiser campaign. Through his personal hair loss experience, Bikram, a grade 12 student attending Lester B. Pearson High School in Calgary, couldn’t help but empathize with children who suffer from hair loss as they treat their cancer. He says, “If I get a second chance to get my hair back... then why not the kids who have been diagnosed with cancer?” With the overwhelming support of friends and peers, No Bald Heads (NBH) was created. With a goal to raise $2,000 to donate to the Kids Cancer Care Foundation in just one month, staff, students and family pulled together to aid the cause.

On October 28th, hundreds of students came out to witness the NBH head shaving and to hear the results of their efforts. Even as the hair fell from the heads of the six shavees, support continued to grow as a student came from the audience hoping to shave his head as well. It had a rippling effect, as others wished to join in the shaving and some pledged more money. Head after head was shaven clean in support of children affected by cancer. And as Bikram’s hair was cut for the first time in 17 years (due to religious beliefs), friends circled him in support and the audience cheered. It couldn’t have been a better ending to what started out as the high school student’s vision. And, like all heart-warming stories, the outstanding grand total of $3,764.48 for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation was met with a loud cheer from the crowd and even a few tears from teachers.

Although the campaign was hard work and sometimes stressful, as Bikram says, “The ultimate goal has been achieved.” In this roundabout way, a few bald heads now mean less bald heads in the future.