Bald for a cause: Saltus shavees have raised more than $226,000 so far this year for childhood cancer research funded by the St Baldrick’s Foundation.

On March 18, more than 100 had their heads shaved in the Alumni Hall at Saltus Grammar School to raise funds.

Shavees included primary and secondary students; head of school Ted Staunton; teachers Rosie Doughty, Jesse Sheppard, Brittany Adams and Kathy Kawaley; a number of parents and others.

This was the ninth year for Saltus as an officially registered site.

As of March 22, Saltus shavees had raised more than $226,000 for childhood cancer research. To make a donation in support one of the shavees go to http://www.stbaldricks.org/search?search-term=Saltus&type=a

Additional funds were raised from popcorn and milk sales in upper and lower primary, plus a grub day in the secondary department.

Students had various reasons for participating.

S5 Kyle Mello said: “I did it because I feel bad for the children who are diagnosed with cancer and I just wanted to help out a bit.”

S9 Magnus Henneberger had his head shaved for the sixth time in a row and his father joined him this year.

According to the executive director of the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, Tara Curtis, $48,000 of the funds raised at all St Baldrick’s events held in Bermuda are specifically used to support BCHC’s SunSmart programme.

SunSmart co-ordinator Azuree Williams spoke about the programme at Saltus.

Also at the Saltus event, several had their hair cut to donate to Locks of Love, a public non-profit organisation that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

Of course, all of this would not be possible without the volunteer barbers who generously donated their time and talents to this event: Headway — Hope Travis; The Hideaway — Lisa Froud; LIV — Lucy Camara; Strands — Kira Swan and Shapri Joell; Soavé — Kimeisha Fough; Tangles Hair — Louise Burdett (assisted by Kaylah Johnson); and TK Hair — Tanju Kurt, Lindsey Matthews, Kemal Topal and James Lee.