Heroes needed to support childhood cancer research
Cayman Islands Fire Service team, The Firebalds, at The Big Shave 2017
(Hannah’s Heroes): With just a week to go until this year’s Hannah’s Heroes Big Shave, organisers are making final preparations for this year’s event and encouraging supporters to join the fight against childhood cancer by supporting the St Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research in the United States.
The Big Shave was inspired by Cayman born Hannah Meeson, who was diagnosed in 2012 with anaplastic medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer. Hannah’s parents Gaylene and Nigel Meeson created the event to create awareness about childhood cancer and raise money for research.
“Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer, in September alone 25,000 families will hear the devastating news that their child has cancer and 1 in 5 of those children will not survive,” Meeson explained. “We created Hannah’s Heroes, a hero fund of St Baldrick’s, because we are committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.”
Other Cayman childhood cancer survivors and their families have joined forces to raise money and awareness and will be honoured at this year’s event, including Skylar “Mimi” Ebanks (5), Beau Shields (6), Anabelle Reading (7), Tayden Grant (10) and Charli Foster (10), Saylor Sperrandeo (7), Ava Paige Rico (8) , Allie Capasso (10) and Matthew Chong Ping (14). Supporters will also pay tribute to the families of Dimitrie Connor, Caitlin Beverley and Albert Ebanks who lost their battles to childhood cancer.
Gaylene Meeson and young shavees at The Big Shave 2017
Since fundraising began in September 2013, supporters of Hannah’s Heroes have raised US$1.7 Million for the St Baldrick’s Foundation and six research grants have been named in Hannah’s honour, testament to funds raised in Grand Cayman since the first Big Shave in 2013.
Many teams and individuals will shave at this year’s event, including teams from Ogier, Maples & Calder, Dart, Fosters Food Fair IGA, PwC and The Cayman Islands Fire Service. Cayman Prep High School, Clifton Hunter and John Gray High School will also host their own shave events to raise funds for the St Baldrick’s Foundation next week.
“Each year we are truly humbled by our community taking this cause to their hearts. From children donating from their piggy-banks to schools hosting bake sales, coin drives and dress down days throughout September, we’re making a phenomenal difference; one person might make an impact but a whole community working together can create change and that’s exactly what has happened in Cayman over the past six years,” Meeson said.
The Hannah’s Heroes Big Shave for St Baldrick’s will take place on Friday 28 September at The Wicket in Cricket Square from 5-9pm and features a silent auction, balloon prize raffle and food and drinks specials from the Brasserie.
For more information, click here or email team@hannahsheroes.ky
Category: Community, Fundraiser
