DEWITT, IOWA-St. Baldrick’s of Clinton County, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, recently had the opportunity to present a check for $50,000 to Dr. William Terry, M.D. of the University of Iowa Children's Hospital on behalf of the St. Baldrick's Foundation. The funds will support Dr. Terry’s program that addresses the needs of adolescent and young adult cancer patients, the only program of its kind in the Midwest. Presenting the check was event organizers, Jennifer Naeve and Rachael Vopatek, Miss Iowa, Taylor Wiebers, a former St. Baldrick’s shavee, and the Burken family from DeWitt, Iowa, whose son Joseph is a pediatric cancer survivor treated at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital as well as a St. Baldrick's of Clinton County honorary kid.
The check presentation is not only a chance to showcase how the funds raised through this local event are going to support local children, but also a way for St. Baldrick’s supporters to thank the local doctors working tirelessly to find better treatment options for kids with cancer. Since starting the event in 2011, St. Baldrick’s of Clinton County has raised over $156,000 to support the development of childhood cancer treatments and research throughout the state of Iowa, directly impacting children in our community.
To keep the momentum going and to take advantage of the beautifully built, new band shell in Lincoln Park, organizers have changed the date of the event to Saturday April 30th. Typically, a March event, organizers are hoping a later April event will bring warmer weather and more participants. The band shell serves as a beautiful backdrop, showcasing the shavees and their commitment to raising funds and walking in solidarity with children battling cancer.
The event will kick off at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30th at Lincoln Park and the DeWitt Community Center in DeWitt, Iowa. The head-shavings will commence at 1:00 p.m. There will be food vendors, music, kids’ activities, a bake sale and silent auction. Organizers encourage attendees to bring a lawn chair, tailgate and be a part of this moving event.
Those interested in becoming a shavee, volunteering or donating visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/
About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation believes that kids are special and deserve to be treated that way. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to innovative explorers who bring with them the promise of a future free from childhood cancers. Kids need treatments as unique as they are – and that starts with funding research just for them. Join us at StBaldricks.org to help support the best cancer treatments for kids.
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