Olivia Collins was cool as a cucumber when she Shaved for the Brave at Chatters Hair|Beauty|Salon in St. John’s on Friday, May 10. Her mom; dad; brother; and best friend, Samantha, watched as hairstylist Elizabeth Shaved Olivia’s long blonde hair.

Aside from being such a rock star in the salon, Olivia is getting a special shout out this week for her fundraising efforts. Not content with the regular routine, the 10-year-old looked for new ways to raise money and even held a lemonade stand which raised $42! I don’t know if you’ve ever held a lemonade stand, but that’s a lot of juice! Her final total currently sits around $1,700.

  Lemonade stand photos by Lee-Ann Collins

You’re awesome, Olivia! Thanks for supporting YACC and the young adults dealing with cancer in Canada!

Members of Localife Ottawa pose with volunteers at the Rideau Centre on April 27, 2013

Photos by Brandon Fong

Localife is Young Adult Cancer Canada’s peer-led, activity-based group where young adult cancer survivors in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Ottawa enjoy fun activities and connect with their survivor buddies. The groups get together every couple of months for events such as bowling, skating, or movie nights which help us achieve our mission of creating a nationwide community of young adults that provides support, information, skills, and opportunity.

Localife Ottawa played a crucial role in the Ottawa Community Shave on April 27, 2013. In addition to taking care of logistics on the ground, a couple of young adult cancer survivors, Chris Chow and Aideen Smith, even took turns under the clippers and Shaved their heads as well! Survivor Amy Aubin, her husband, John, and their daughter, Avery, drove up from Toronto and John Shaved, too. It’s awesome to see members of the community doing things to help YACC help more young adults dealing cancer. You’re all amazing!

The town of Norman’s Cove, NL has fewer residents than some high schools that are Shaving this year, but they had just as much fun with their recent Shave!

Amanda White, Tara Smith, Brianna Reid, and Owen Warren signed up to Shave for the Brave at Club 68 in Norman’s Cove, NL on April 20, and then six other people signed up on the spot to participate as well! They had a crowd of about 150 people watching the “mane” event, most of whom stayed for a dance afterward.

Amanda’s son, Matthew, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2012 when he was eight-years-old. His friend, Owen Warren, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008 when he was five-years-old. Amanda was encouraged to Shave for the Brave after seeing the effects cancer can have on someone and their families.

In addition to the “mane” event, the group planned other activities to add extra excitement. Local businesses supported the event by donating prizes or gift certificates for prize draws. The four girls who Shaved had make up and sparkles applied before they sat under the clippers. By the end of it all, 11 Shavers raised over $6,600, including $2,400 raised by Brianna Reid, and $500 that was donated throughout the event.

Amanda says she was calm and relaxed as the razor made its first swipe over her head, and the experience was definitely worth losing her hair.

Thank you to Amanda, the Shavers and volunteers, donors, and sponsors for participating in the Shave for the Brave! Your involvement will make a huge impact on young adults dealing with cancer in Canada!

All photos submitted

The Shave for the Brave is back! Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) was pleased to bring the event back in Corner Brook after taking a hiatus from the Marble Mountain Shave for the Brave in 2012. Volunteers set up (barber)shop at the Valley Mall on Saturday, April 20. The event resulted in 22 dramatic haircuts and raised $5,214. The following week, the Mall also donated $2,643 from the regular Valley Mall bingo event for a total of $7,857!

Trudy Broderick, the Head Hunter for the Corner Brook Community Shave, sent us the following pictures and anecdotes from the Valley Mall Shave:

Kris Taylor, a Shave for the Brave participant was successful in raising $850 in four days.  Kris has a friend, Mark Allen, whose brother was diagnosed with cancer seven weeks ago. When he started his chemo, Mark decided to shave his head in support. Since Mark couldn’t do the Shave, Kris said he would do it for him as a birthday gift (Mark’s birthday was the day of the shave).

A lot of Kris’s friends came on board to support him. Kris works part-time at Whalen’s Gate, a local bar, and the night before the Shave, he announced that he was donating all his tips to Shave for the Brave, he was able to raise $392.75. Kris donated $27.25 himself to bring the total to $850. Not bad for four days!

Kris was a very lively participant and it was very touching to hear his story and to talk to his friend Mark, who was very moved by the gesture. Kris also mentioned that a member of his own family was touched by cancer as well.

Averie Michel, who raised more than $1,000, had her first real haircut on the day of the Shave. Averie and her mother heard the interview I had with local radio station CFCB, and dropped into the office for pledge sheets. She was so excited to be part of the Shave and her mother said she has been eager to do this for a couple of years. Averie wanted to do the Shave in honor of her grandfather and a couple of her aunts who passed away with cancer. She was all smiles as she looked at her braid after the cut and said she loved her new ‘do.

Catherine Kennedy (the only female who Shaved her head), is an employee at Sobeys and shaved in honor of her father who passed away with cancer last year. Catherine brought a lot of life to the event and along with fellow employee Steve Jones went on stage together for the Shave. We cranked up the music and they entertained the crowd with a dance or two. Staff at Sobeys came to offer their support and joined in the fun.

We also had a brother and sister team, Rebecca Bennett and her little brother, RJ, who were very sweet. Rebecca was probably the first to sign up online and when her little brother saw her on stage, he wanted to join her. It was very nice to see brother and sister do it together.

Great job, everyone! We hope to see you again next year!

By Chris Chow

The 3rd Ottawa Community Shave For The Brave was on April 27, 2013 at the Rideau Centre.

The event far surpassed any of our expectations. Initially we had only five people who signed up for the Shave so we were really counting on the crowd and random passersby to get involved.

Live 88.5 radio host, John Moran, did an amazing job hosting the event helping to draw a large crowd into Eaton Court. We had three amazing stylists from The Loft volunteer their time to help out with the Shave.

Throughout the event, we had a steady stream of people come down to find out about what we were doing. When people found out that Shave For The Brave had something to do with cancer, it resonated with them and more and more people were interested in contributing. We all cheered loudly with each Shaver that stepped onto the stage. The more we cheered, the more people wanted to get involved.

We had a few notable Shaves. Early into the Shave, Aideen‘s entire family (Aideen, her brother, her two sisters, her mom, and her nephew) showed up to the event, and all of them shaved their heads. A woman who had survived breast cancer several years back–and had fundraised $92,000 on her own for an arctic walk–decided to shave her head.

The chairs were getting a little empty as we moved into the second hour of the Shave, so John Moran, the Live 88.5 radio host, shaved his head on a $100 bet with someone in the crowd. This was his third time shaving. His spontaneous Shave rejuvenated the energy and the chairs started to fill up again with a new crowd to show their support. A little girl decided that she wanted to shave since her mom had just survived cancer. Her mom was with her sitting in the front row proud/happy/crying as her daughter received her shave.

We had a little over $200 to raise in order to hit the $2,000 mark with just 10 minutes left of the event. We announced that if we could achieve the goal of $2,000, one of the Live 88.5 ground crew would Shave his head. The announcer publicly announced as people came by and dropped off money. With each dollar we all counted down: $100 left…$60 left…$10 left…$5 left…$3 left… The energy towards the end was at an all time high. We surpassed our goal and the Live 88.5 ground crew member was the last shave of the day. All three stylists worked on his head at the same time.

We couldn’t have asked for a better Shave For The Brave. The atmosphere was electric and in the end, we shaved 26 heads and raised over $2,000.

Special thanks to all the young adult cancer survivors, volunteers, and Shavers who made the event possible; the crew at LiVE 88.5; The Loft; and the Rideau Centre!

Photos by Brandon Fong

St. Anne’s School in Conne River held their 2nd Annual Shave for the Brave on April 26, 2013. Head Hunter Paula Lambert said the community had a lot of fun and raised an impressive $3,585!

There were 19 Shavers, nine of which Shaved last year, including Daulton Benoit who we recognized for Shaving his impressive beard for a second time!

Thanks for continuing to help the young adults dealing with cancer in Canada!

The Newfoundland & Labrador Housing Corporation held its first Shave on March 22, 2013 with four male Shavers. Three women from the office just couldn’t wait until the 2014 Shave season to hold their next event, so they Shaved last Friday!

Kate Moffatt, Jenny Bowring, and Maureen Murphy added a few special touches to enhance the mood at their event on April 26: they showed up in little black dresses (so much for casual Friday!) and chose theme songs they wanted played as they each Shaved. The trio also raised an impressive $5,512 at the time of their Shave, and we’ve heard that total is expected to climb.

We love their enthusiasm and fun-loving attitudes, and that’s why we chose them for this week’s Shaver spotlight.

Thank you to Minister Paul Davis for coming by.

I was fortunate enough to attend a school shave at Topsail Elementary on Friday, April 26, 2013. I’m no stranger to this school—my son was a student there from kindergarten until fourth grade—and I was excited to go back! This year was the school’s biggest Shave to date with 58 heads Shaved and over $11,000 raised. That brings Topsail Elementary’s five-year total up to more than $39,000!

The Vice Principal, Mr. Roger Devereau, counted down before each set of six shavers, music rocked the gym, and children danced as they called, “THREE, TWO, ONE!” Two kindergarten students, Harper and Blake, bounced with glee as their parents tried to take their photos in front of the Brave Lion banner.

Mr. Devereau asked many of the children why they had decided to Shave and many said, “For all the people that have cancer!” to thunderous applause and screaming children. There were several children who quietly responded they were shaving because a loved one had dealt with cancer. Those moments were met with energy from the crowd, but for myself, I blinked back tears several times. These were children that really understood the shave FOR the brave, these were children that felt the effects of cancer on a family.

Keegan Laundry is a grade four student at Topsail Elementary. He played with his friends while waiting for his turn to Shave, his smile bright and his energy pure joy. When asked who he was Shaving for, his response was, “My dad.” His father, Brad, has Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was diagnosed six years ago and Keegan understands that sometimes his dad takes medicine to help him feel better. Keegan has learned at an early age what cancer is and there are many types. His mother, Leona, had ovarian cancer; he is aware of this, but he doesn’t remember it. His grandmother had cancer and he remembers her having surgery and losing her hair. Keegan’s dad couldn’t make it to the event, so his mom held up her phone throughout his Shave so her husband could watch it in real time.

Keegan has now participated in the Shave for the Brave twice. His mother beamed with pride as he accepted his yellow toque and hugged her tight. The emotion in moments like these is palpable and being allowed into their world to share in this journey is a true gift.

Another student, Gavin, shaved as his mom, Charmaine, stood behind him on stage. When he stepped up, she took his place and donated her hair. It is deeply touching to watch a child inspire a parent. We also met Victoria, a young lady who donated her braided hair and shaved afterwards! When her Shave was over, she thanked me for allowing her to donate! What a special little girl!

Many parents whispered words of pride, some high-fived their little ones as they hopped down the stairs, and smiles and tears and a beautiful sense of community echoed in the gymnasium.

I took a moment to speak with Brenda Parson, a grade one teacher at Topsail Elementary. She taught my son in grade one and was pivotal in showing the children in his class what a selfless thing he had done after his very first Shave). She spoke candidly of why she had lobbied to bring the Shave for the Brave campaign to her school, because the boy that was so impacted by her in first grade, had also impacted her life in a similar way. After his selfless act, she wanted her school to join the movement and help.

Friday, April 12, 2013 was a busy day in Bradford! Students and administration of Fred C. Cook Shaved for the Brave, and then members of the community went to Wendy’s that evening to participate as well!

Dr. Heather Palmer and Jennifer Chown, last year’s organizers, said members of the community approached them to see if they would organize a shave again this year.

“It was exciting to know that our community was interested in it,” said Heather. “We really believe in YACC and we want to share that with our community while raising money to enable more young adults with cancer to benefit from the many programs offered by YACC. Last year we raised enough to help send over 20 people to a Retreat.”

“It is very rewarding to see all the Shavers from both last year and this year really get what we are doing, why we are doing it, and who we are doing it for. A lot of people come up to us and thank us for getting the kids involved in such an exciting event. Even one of our school staff members, a cancer survivor herself, was grateful to learn about YACC and had only wished she had known about them sooner,” said Jen.

Bradford overcame a lot of obstacles to hold the two events. Issues with union negotiations meant teachers were not able to get as involved as they did last year (graduation trips, field trips, extracurricular activities, etc., were all cancelled), and the Head Hunters were not able to speak with the student body as much as they could before. The construction of a new school resulted in a large portion of last year’s Shavers being relocated to a different school. To top it all off, on the day of the Shave, there was a massive ice storm in the area and school buses weren’t even running! Despite all the hurdles, they still Shaved 50 heads (32 at the school, and 18 at Wendy’s) and raised $13,325.75 ($6,785.75 and $6,540, respectively)!

Fred C. Cook

All photos from Fred C. Cook by Val Klic

Peter Laneas, a young adult testicular cancer survivor and YACC Localife leader, MC’d the school event and drove home the message of the event.

“Peter was awesome; he’s living, he’s breathing, he’s the symbolism of the issues for young adults with cancer,” said the Head Hunters. “Because of the size of our gym, we had to shuffle people in and out, we couldn’t fit everybody in at the same time. We had a halfway mark where some of the students left and others came in and Peter had to tell his story again, but he was a great sport and made it sound completely different.”

Last year, to engage those who were not willing to part with their hair, they ran an initiative that encouraged people to cut back on luxuries for a week–whether that was a daily coffee, or corner store snacks–and donate the money they would have spent to the Shave. They raised just under $1,000 through this “cut back challenge,” but it didn’t seem as popular this year.

“Mr. Randy, one teacher of grade one students, noticed his students weren’t really embracing the ‘cut back challenge’ [this year], so he tried to engage them in other ways. He talked a little about YACC and why we were doing the Shave for the Brave, and he said if [the class] could raise $100–which would be about $5 per person from the class–then he’d Shave his head. At the end, they raised almost $300!” said Jen.

They also found other interesting ways to make the event fun and exciting. They provided signs with pictures of haircuts like the “mohawk,” “reverse mohawk,” “mullet,” and “Friar Tuck” that people could choose for the stylist to shape into their hair before going completely bald. That created a lot of excitement for the crowd, and offered great photo opportunities. There was even a surprise Shaver at the school event–Beau Neumeyer, the beloved co-owner of the Bare Beaunz Skateboard Shop!

More photos from Fred C. Cook

Wendy’s

All photos from Wendy’s by Jennifer Chown, except as indicated

Heather says they started holding Shaves at Wendy’s because the manager was so enthusiastic and accommodating.

“We went out to businesses in the community last year asking if they had any prizes we could offer up to the Shavers, and the Wendy’s manager was not only interested in making a donation but also said, ‘Why don’t you have part of the Shave here?’ It turns out that they do host fundraisers at their local restaurant somewhat frequently. Generally, what they do is donate a portion of their sales for that evening to the fundraiser,” Jen said.

“The restaurant was full, it was packed, it was energetic, everyone was gung-ho. A big part of that was because we had a group of people coming from Stouffville, a nearby town, who only decided they would Shave their heads that week,” said Heather.

“The group’s ring leader was a woman who was celebrating not only her birthday, but that she was now five years cancer free. To celebrate, she sent an email to her friends and family saying, ‘If I can raise $1,000 in 48 hours, I’ll Shave my head.’

“Then her son, a grade eight student, not only jumped on board to shave with his mother but easily recruited five friends who were very willing to participate. Together, in less than a week, this group raised over $4,000. They were a very strong force and brought a lot of energy to the Wendy’s shave,” she said.

Another woman decided to Shave her beautiful, long hair this year after her son’s participation in 2012. She was able to donate more than 23 inches before the hairstylist took the clippers to her head. There were also appearances by MPP Julia Munro, MP for York-Simcoe Peter Van Loan, Mayor Doug White, and Deputy Mayor Rob Keffer.

Heather said, “Shave 2014 is certainly promising to be even bigger, if the enthusiasm of the Shavers, students, parents, and community is any indication. We have certainly caught everyone’s attention and expect people will be watching out for Shave posters this time next year.”

We can’t wait to see what Bradford comes up with by then!

More photos from Wendy’s

All photos

Nancy Brown (by Val Klic)

This week’s Shaver spotlight is shining on Lori Fougere, a Solo Shaver registered for May. Lori is a thyroid cancer survivor and set a fundraising goal of $1,200 ($100/year for every year since she was diagnosed). She has already surpassed that, and she still has a few weeks to go!

The blog on her online fundraising page is really heartfelt and funny, and she has told us she was diagnosed around the same time as Geoff, and has been following his blog and YACC’s growth since then!

Lori, thanks for being such an awesome supporter of YACC and for signing up to Shave this year. You’re awesome!