"How much would you pay to see me bald?"
This, said Roger Duarte's, is the catchphrase hardly any of his friends or relatives can resist. Especially given that for as long as most people have known him, Duarte's had an eight-inch ponytail of thick, curly black hair.
On Saturday, April 2, Duarte, along with hundreds of warm-hearted participants throughout the Lower Mainland, will shave their heads at Squamish Station for the cancer ward and outpatient clinic at BC Children's Hospital. Balding For Dollars is in its sixth year.
Last year's earnings totaled $28,000 and involved hundreds of donors and even more onlookers.
However the sacrifice is minimal, he said.
"I've had my hair past shoulder length since '92 so it's been quite a while. But on the other hand it's nothing compared to what some of these kids are going through."
Duarte said he'll have friends, family and co-workers gathered around when his hairdresser takes it all off.
"Anyone who knows me knows I've always had this hair, so to see me bald would be a huge shock and change and I think a lot people want to see. It's more of a sadistic kind of want," he laughs.
It was Duarte's hairdresser who gave him the idea of participating in the annual event, but it took a few years to convince his now four-year old daughter.
"We told her one of the reasons why Daddy wants to get his hair cut is so he can donate his hair to make wigs for little girls and boys or other people who can't have hair," said Duarte. "So she came to a little bit of a realization that this might be okay. And when I told her that Daddy's hair grows back like weeds, she woke up and said 'OK, well, Daddy's hair grows back'."
Cindy Turner is organizing the Squamish chapter of Balding for Dollars.
Anyone interested in participating can reach her at 604 892-3142 or look for your pledge form in next Friday's Chief flyer delivery package.
