St. Baldrick's Day Events Raise Money For Children Fighting Cancer

DENVER (CBS4) - During the week leading up to St. Patrick's Day people will be shaving their heads to raise money for children fighting cancer.

CBS4's Evrod Cassimy was there as men and women went bald for St. Baldrick's Day on Sunday. It's become an annual tradition. People raise money and shave their heads for cancer research.

"I definitely wanted to help out kids with cancer and pay for their treatment, and I've always wanted to go bald and see what that's like," Jake Pucci said.

Pucci was the first of his buddies to get his hair chopped off.

"I think I'll look goofy. I've got a really deformed head," Pucci said. "I've got all these freckles and nothing up top."

Sunday's event was one of several events going on all over the city.

"We go out and try to get recruit people to shave their heads and in turn get donations from friends, family, coworkers, whoever, to raise money for the organization," an official with the organization said.

While it's a bit more common for a man to go bald, some women were down with the idea as well. Becky Case understands how important cancer research is.

"I've had cancer several times. I've had skin cancer and I've had ovarian cancer, so it's not unusual to see me running around with a bald head and I'm not proud like that," Case said.

PHOTO GALLERY: St. Baldrick's Day

Case has been bald herself from cancer treatment but is a survivor. Still, for the past three or four years she's voluntarily participated in events such as St. Baldrick's Day.

"It's kind of like freeing. I don't know, it's kind of like something to say, 'I beat it, I've gone through it, I've passed it and now I can do it on my terms and not cancers terms,' " Case said.

She and other cancer patients hope that the money raised will help find a cure for the disease.

For those who would like to participate and shave their head for a good cause, visit the St. Baldrick's Day website.