Shave for the Brave News

Walking the walk

Posted on Jan 27, 2011

Not only do we keep inviting you to become Shavers, Head Hunters, and Mane Mamas, we sign up too!

This year, Geoff Eaton, Renee Bennett, and Angie Barrington from Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) are going to sit down in a chair at the Avalon Mall and lose a lot of hair.

Geoff hasn't been letting the lack of hair on his head these days keep him from participating in the Shave. He is planning on growing another beard to make sure he's sheared come March 12. For those of you who don't know, Geoff is the Founder and Executive Director of YACC, and a two-time cancer survivor.

Renee is also a two-time survivor and has been an active volunteer at YACC for a while. She has visited a lot of events as a guest speaker and supporter and now she's going to shave her head. Renee has built deep relationships with all of us in the office and with many of our survivors throughout the country.

Here's what she said on her fundraising page about why she signed up this year, "Geoff has been hinting the past couple of years for me to shave! The most important reason why I am shaving is I am a cancer survivor and a participant in the programs YACC has to offer. YACC is a blessing for young adults by giving us a community connection."

Angie has been growing her hair out for a while with the intention of donating it, but decided to wait for the Shave after joining the YACC team in October as the Communications Coordinator/Storyteller. While the commitment isn't as severe as Shaving, her braid will help make a wig for someone and will raise money to help bring people to YACC's programs.

Her fundraising page says "One of the main aspects of my job...is to talk with young adult cancer survivors and figure out a way to share their stories. They have all inspired me to live a purposeful life and...I want to be able to give back by getting people to our retreats, conferences, and expeditions."

We get to see the impact each dollar makes every time we get an email from a survivor, host an event, or develop a new program. While most of these encounters are uplifting, we still hear a lot of bad news. We are doing our best to help the young adult cancer survivors who are struggling every day and encourage those who are working to make the rest of their lives the best of their lives.

Please support the Shave for the Brave and help us help more people move from a place of confusion and anger to a place of courage and empowerment.

STOP THINKING. START SHAVING.