Four years ago, Cindy Turner wanted to help out the people who were helping her seven-year-old son in his battle with cancer. The result was the first-ever Balding for Dollars fundraiser for the B.C. Children's Hospital.
Now, Balding for Dollars is gearing up for its fifth run in Squamish - and Turner has two big reasons to celebrate.
The first is that the event she helped start has raised more than $128,000 from Squamish to help B.C. Children's help kids with cancer.
The second is that her son, Nicholas Gulycz, has been certified cured this year - seven years after first being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
"It's a great feeling," she said. "every year you think he's cured, but the next year he's 100 per cent stronger than he was the previous year."
While Nicholas has beaten cancer, there are many more kids still fighting - 150 new cases of childhood cancer each year in B.C., with 350 in treatment.
That's enough incentive for Turner to keep pulling this fun community event together.
This year's Balding for Dollars is coming back to Squamish Station Shopping Centre on Saturday, Apr. 3, and Turner is optimistic there'll be another big turnout and successful drive this year.
More than 200 people have gone bald as part of the event since it began. Nicholas's former school, Valleycliffe Elementary, has been a big supporter each year, with the principal and dozens of students losing their locks in support of children with cancer.
Anyone is welcome to participate by collecting pledges and having their head shaved either at their home, school, office or at the main event at Squamish Station on Saturday, Apr. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pledge sheets are available at The Chief office on Second Avenue and will be distributed to homes and businesses in Squamish next Friday (Mar. 12) in The Chief's flyer package.
For more information call Cindy Turner at 604-892-3142 or email [email protected].
