Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Bald is Beautiful!

My beautiful Tinkerbell!
We got our shirt and we are ready to go!

Co-shavees!

Waving at the crowd...ready to go!

The first shave...

Still smiling!

Almost done now!

So much love!

Sisters!

We did it!

My beautiful Tinkerbell!


Kenosha News

Tink started Saturday with a head of hair — long brown locks that flowed to her shoulders and neatly framed her round face.

By 4:15 p.m., the buzz was on, but not just from the electric shaver.

Tink wanted her head shaved. And, the crowd of some 200 people who watched the 11-year-old Kenosha girl lose her mane during the fourth annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser for children’s cancer research at the Brat Stop, cheered her on.

With one section of hair remaining to be shaved, many standing began applauding vigorously.

“Way to go Tink!” one man called out.

Among her biggest fans, her father sat in the chair next to her and received a similar cut. He hugged her immediately after the last lock fell.

With just the peach fuzz that remained, she then climbed out of her chair, smiling.

Inspired by Garrett

She said her inspiration, a little boy named Garrett, had lost his life to cancer and she wanted to do something to help other children who have the disease.

Just 10 days ago, she started raising awareness in person and on Facebook. With the help of her parents, friends, her church and the community, she garnered more than $2,700. Her donation goal was $500.

Her mother said Tink had just planned to donate some money to a young man who was also going to have his head shaved. Then, she told her parents something they never expected.

“Mom, I have to do that,” she told her mother.

Her parents talked it over, and when Tink explained why she was making the sacrifice, Dad was soon compelled to join her.

“Her heart was totally in the right place,” he said.

Tears, locks fall

Mom said she was crying as her daughter’s hair fell onto the stage. Before the event, Tink tried to reassure her mother it was just hair and it would grow back.

The bigger picture was that kids could help kids in need.

“When I knew I could do something like this, I thought, why not?” Tink said.

BY TERRY FLORES (names changed to nicknames)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

St. Baldrick's Day

This Saturday my 11 year old daughter, Tink, is shaving her head in solidarity with children who have cancer and typically lose their hair during treatment, while raising critical funds for childhood cancer research!

I was telling her about a boy at our church who was doing this and she knew the moment I told her that she had to do it too. At first, I tried to talk her out of it! I didn't want my little girl to be bald! But after listening to her heart...we couldn't say no.

Tink had a friend when they were younger and when we had lived away from here he died of cancer. It really touched her. We had been praying for him every night and then he had started to get better it seemed. Then we found out that he wasn't doing well at all. Olivia prayed so hard for her friend. Then we found out he had gone to be with Jesus. God healed him, by taking him home. This is a hard lesson for a little girl to understand.

So when she heard about what St. Baldrick's does, she immediately brought up her friend that had died and said she wanted to help so that no more kids will die.

She has such a huge heart and God lays big things on her heart! She has been raising money and is already over $1700!! People have just been amazing in their outporing of love and support!

Before any of this came about, I heard the story about a little girl named Layla Grace on Rufflebutts. Layla Grace is 2.5 and was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. She passed away today. This makes this whole thing so much more real to me. While it may be hard for me to let my little girl shave her head...at least it will grow back. How hard must it be for Mom's whose little girls lose their hair because of cancer treatment. How hard must it be for Mom's whose little girls hair never grows back.

One in five kids who have cancer will die.

I am so proud of my little girl for her great big heart and for doing what God has called her to do.

If you would like to donate: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/387838