These are pictures of Antioch/Brentwood Police Dispatcher Carrie Moore. Please continue to read her amazing story (in her own words) of giving back to those affected by cancer!
“St. Baldricks Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that coordinates head-shaving events and other fundraisers to raise money to support childhood cancer research. While fundraising and giving grants for research is their main goal, I have known a prior co-worker who has turned to them personally in a time of need when his child was diagnosed with cancer. They helped him with the direction he needed to go to start the long and dreadful process of “where do we go from here?” I heard him say nothing but good things about everyone he had contact with at St. Baldricks.
I first signed up to do a head shaving back in 2010 when my co-workers decided to get involved with St. Baldricks and start their own head shaving event. At that event we raised over $38,000 as a group. Far more than what we ever expected. It was such a moving experience for me at that time, and I knew I wanted to do it again one day. After hearing my same co-worker, who had turned to them in the past, lost his 9 year old daughter this past year to her battle, I knew it was time again for me to Brave the Shave and start raising funds again. And since I’ve put out the info over social media, I’ve learned another friend is going through the same battle with his young daughter which just reaffirms for me that the time is right.
I have been blessed to have nothing but healthy kids in my house and wish no parent or child had to go through what they have been through. Preparing for this event has also been a door opening experience to discuss things like cancer, death, healing and many other things I’m sure I’m forgetting with my daughter. When I shaved my head in 2010 she had the unfortunate experience of being teased at her school for her “bald mom.” I tried to discuss with her the reasons I had done what I’d done and she as a 5 year old just couldn’t understand and wanted me to never do it again.
As I came to the decision to do this again I made sure to include her and discuss with her again why I was going to shave my head. While she was hesitant at first she became more supportive as she started to have a better understanding of what it all meant. She even came to me last week and told me she was so proud of me wanting to help others out and wanted to donate $5 of her own earned money. Again more affirmation that what I was doing was making a difference in my own life as well as others.
I look forward to the event and afterwards when people frequently ask me why I would shave my head, even if it takes them a while to broach the subject or I bring it up to start a conversation about it. I believe strongly in what St. Baldricks is doing and love talking to people about the shaving events.”
Anyone who is wanting to donate or become involved or just learn more about St. Baldricks is urged to visit: http://www.stbaldricks.org/ or they can donate on my page which is http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/carriemoore
Information and Photos provided by the Antioch Police Department
