The five founders of Lawrence Township’s annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation childhood cancer fundraiser were feted at the 18th annual head-shaving event earlier this month.
Michael McCue, Clifton Perry, Mike Kemo, Mario Mangone and Dan Collins – who have all volunteered to have their heads shaved – collectively have raised more than $300,000 for childhood cancer research since the first head-shaving event was held at Amalfi’s Kitchen and Bar in 2008.
Perry has raised approximately $225,000 over the past 18 years. Kemo has raised more than $34,000 and Collins has raised $14,000. McCue and Mangone have each raised more than $10,000.
The fundraiser relies on the participants – known as “shavees” in St. Baldrick-speak – to ask for donations in exchange for having their heads shaved. It is timed to occur around St. Patrick’s Day, hence the name St. Baldrick’s.
McCue said he always felt badly for the young children who lost their hair while undergoing treatment for childhood cancer.
So when McCue saw an advertisement for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, he was intrigued – especially by its signature fundraiser, which is a head-shaving event.
McCue and Perry, who both live in Lawrence Township, took part in their first St. Baldrick’s Foundation head-shaving event at the Ivy Inn on Nassau Street in Princeton.
The two men decided that they would hold a fundraiser closer to home – and that was the genesis of the event that has been held at Amalfi’s on the Lawrenceville-Pennington Road since 2008.
They were soon joined by Collins, Kemo and Mangone.
Perry said the importance of raising money for childhood cancer research was brought home to him while his daughter was hospitalized at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
“I remember being at CHOP, not knowing if my daughter would live or not,” he said. “I saw families who were leaving the hospital without their child, because the child had died.”
So while Perry had briefly paused participating in the head-shaving event, he was inspired by that experience to resume taking part in it.
“It’s not hard to have your head shaved,” he said.
Perry said he has been able to raise many donations through the Princeton University students he has met through his job as the sports equipment manager at the university. Many graduates went on to become successful in their careers and were willing to donate when asked, he said.
According to event organizers, the Lawrence Township fundraiser has raised more than $2.3 million in donations to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation from the 2,461 heads shaved since 2008.
And as usual, the Lawrence Township event surpassed its goal of raising $75,000. This year, the shavees raised $157,899. It is ranked seventh among head-shaving events in the United States.
Since its inception in 1999, the foundation has raised more than $500 million. It has granted more than $356 million to childhood cancer research by awarding 1,887 grants across 31 countries.
