Nurse trades hair to help cure children

How much money would you pay to see someone have their head shaved?

Louise Ryan, a parishioner of St. Henry's Church in Averill Park, was willing to bet that people might pay a lot. In an effort to raise money for childhood cancer research, she and 34 other local volunteers had their locks shorn at the Albany Pump Station on March 25.

The event was sponsored by an organization called St. Baldrick's, a fictitious saint-name chosen by the event's founders on St. Patrick's Day eight years ago. Thousands of people each year have their heads shaved to raise money for cancer research.

According to the group's website, www.stbaldricks.org, it has donated $9 million towards childhood cancer research over the past two years.

Ms. Ryan, a nurse practitioner in the hemophilia treatment center at Albany Medical Center, sees kids with cancer every day. That's what drew her into volunteering to have her locks sheared.

"I don't work directly with kids that have cancer," she said, "but I see them every single day. They're so brave. They walk around here with their little heads shaved all the time; it doesn't seem to faze them at all. I figured, if they could do it, why couldn't I?

"I've been involved in healthcare for over 30 years, and I know that the answer to finding a cure for cancer lies in research. In order to continue research, money is needed. I wanted to bring that to the forefront, and this is the best way I can think of doing that."

Before the event, Ms. Ryan joked about her Easter outfit this year.

"I suppose I'll have to get a very pretty hat," she said.

(To donate in Ms. Ryan's name, call 888-899-BALD.)

(3/29/07) [[In-content Ad]]