A business executive from Bermuda is the top fund-raiser in the world this year for a children's cancer charity, with a donation of $102,842.

Rob Lane, a father-of-three, was himself diagnosed with cancer just days before Christmas, and began fundraising to turn the bad news into something positive.

The result is his huge donation to St. Baldrick's beating 33,765 other fund-raisers from Bermuda, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands.

All the fund-raisers shaved their heads in return for donations to the charity, which funds research into childhood cancer.

In second place is Jamie Veghte, chief executive of Reinsurance Operations at XL. He raised $87,667, while Mike McGavick, chief executive officer at XL, is in third place with $75,515.

Mr. Lane, 43, found out he'd come top on the same day doctors informed him his non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma is in remission after chemotherapy.

He said: "I'm feeling fabulous and I'm very fortunate. I found out the news at just about the same hour I had been told I was cancer-free, so I felt great on both fronts."

Mr. Lane is executive vice president and chief legal counsel at Willis Bermuda. Like other top Bermuda fund-raisers, much of the money came from donors in the insurance and reinsurance industry.

He sent out an e-mail this week to tell his supporters: "I am so humbled and grateful for the collective support you have shown to me and my family during these past several months that words simply don't do it justice."

Kathleen Ruddy, executive director for St. Baldrick's, told The Royal Gazette: "Rob is a true example of a hero to kids with cancer. Here was someone who was diagnosed with cancer himself and decided to turn that diagnosis into a positive by partnering with St. Baldrick's. His support and dedication is invaluable and it means so much to the children of St. Baldrick's and their families."

Mike McGavick explains on the St. Baldrick's website that he felt compelled to do his part after successful treatment for a tumour last year. And he said yesterday: "I'm very grateful to see the level of support that I attracted. It's a very worthy cause. One of the things that excites me about it (St. Baldrick's) is that it was started by people from the insurance and reinsurance industries and has received heavy support over the years. Not only did we raise a lot of money but we had great fun doing it. I hope people on the Island continue to support such a great cause."

Mr. McGavick said: "It has been an amazing and happy thing to be a part of; though one can't ever forget the very sad 'why' we need to raise this money at all."

In seventh place for fund-raising is Enda McDonnell, who started the St. Baldrick's Foundation ten years ago along with two fellow Irish-American reinsurance executives from New York City.

This year, he dyed his hair green and kept it that way through February before shaving it off for St. Baldrick's. He's been undergoing treatment since late last year for Sjogrens Syndrome, a rheumatological condition with neurological effects, which means he's needed chemotherapy and blood transfusions.

He said of the fund-raising effort: "It goes to show the tremendous support from people in the insurance and reinsurance community, together with other industries."

Mr. McDonnell, who is president and CEO of Access Reinsurance, added: "It's still not too late to donate and it can be done either on the St Baldrick's website or the P.A.L.S website. We're collaborating with P.A.L.S who've agreed to fund another fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Massachusetts General in Boston.

"On behalf of St. Baldrick's and P.A.L.S I would like to thank all the shavees, volunteers and donors involved to make the 2010 St. Baldrick's events such a great success. As a result, we will be able to fund more research than ever before"

Ms Ruddy, of St. Baldrick's, said: "The contributions of the people of Bermuda over the past ten years have been more than generous. In the past three years alone, they have raised more than $1 million to help children with cancer and their families. St. Baldrick's is grateful for their support and we look forward to another successful ten years with their help."

To donate, visit www.stbaldricks.org and pull up the name of the fund-raiser you wish to support, or www.pals.bm and donate in their name.