Shaving towards a Cure

St. Baldrick’s Day at Parasol’s was held yesterday, the annual event where volunteers have their heads shaved in return for donations that raise money towards children’s cancer research programs. It is quite an interesting event and one I’ve been part of quite a few years. Every year I come out and photograph the events in New Orleans, this year other work has and will prevent me from attending other area event as usual but I made it out to Parasol’s yesterday where close to 20 brave volunteers including myself had their heads shaved outside Parasol’s and out combined efforts raised nearly $2,500 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Below are a few of the more memorable captures from yesterday’s event.

Some volunteers are concerned how they will look with a shaved head, but the volunteer above obviously got approval of his new look from his girlfriend.

Some volunteers saw their appearance change much more than others as the volunteer above cut off over ten inches of hair. Below one of the volunteer stylist at the event holds up a pair of curly ponytails.

One of the more amazing things I saw during the evening was a man who earlier had his head shaved said he would shave off his mustache if he raised $1000 total for the night, the volunteer had raised $200 for his head of hair, the mustache he needed $800 more. The collections began from a relatively small crowd and slowly the pot grew, from $200 to $500 to $800 and then $900 with a $100 needed one woman in the crowd offered up a $100 bill to reach the $1000 goal. $800 was raised in a mere few hours for a mustache, the generosity of the people in attendance was astounding. The man promptly followed through with his promise.