Brave enough to go bald? Lanark woman has a fundraiser for you – and childhood cancer research

LANARK – A “Brave the Shave” head-shaving fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research will make its debut in Carroll County this year.

The virtual event, which seeks participants brave enough to go bald for the cause, will be held from 10 .m. to noon March 13. You need not be a county resident to participate.

Former La Grange resident Gina Cozzolino, now of Lanark, is organizing the event on behalf of St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which holds multiple such fundraisers yearly.

“It’s baffling to me that out of the total amount of money that’s granted to cancer research each year, only 4% of those funds are delegated to childhood cancer research,” Cozzolino said in a news release. “This event is pretty crucial to finding a cure and giving kids a fighting chance.”

She has created a Facebook page – Carrroll County, IL - St. Baldrick’s “Brave the Shave” – where people can sign up, donate and get more information. She also created an Instagram page: “St.Baldrickscarrollcounty”

Cozzolino was shorn for St Baldrick’s in 2018, and will do so again on March 13. She’s planning a double dose of do-gooding: The hair she cuts off will be donated to Locks of Love, a nonprofit that makes wigs for cancer patients and others dealing with hair loss.

According to the Facebook page: “Worldwide, over 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Only one out of five will survive. When children lose their hair, during their chemo treatments, it can be a scary and emotional period. St. Baldrick’s aims to make things less scary. Not only will we raise money to fight childhood cancer, but we will also show children that physical appearance changes do not shape who you are as a human.”