Shaving My Head Today for St. Baldricks

vdm13
vdm13 Member Posts: 47
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hello, friends.

After a lot of thought and flip flopping, I've decided to shave my head in support of the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research. I'll be geting shaved tonight!

This was a difficult decision. As many of you know, I was diagnosed in April 2012 with S4/G4 mRCC. I had my left kidney, adrenal gland, and other various parts removed in May 2012, and have been on Sutent treatment since then. I just completed my 6th cycle and have had remarkable results, with my prior lung lesions being updated from "innumerable" to "tiny rdidua of prior metastatic didease" and a decrease in size of about 70 - 80% of the other nodules in my right kidney, right adrenal gland, and along my spine. All of this started a few short weeks after I shaved my head for the 2012 St. Baldrick's event.

I know there is no connection, but to shave my head again felt a little too close to home this time. My plan was to quietly contrubute to someone else and stay away from the event. The problem with that was that if I hadn't been diagnosed and living this new life of mine, I would have happily shaved my head. So in the end I decided that it would be out of character for me to ignore it, and that the best way to say F YOU to cancer was to do what I would normally do. So I'm doing it.

I know you all have youir own challenges, but if you want to stand with me in defiance to cancer, please consider adding to my fund. You can visit my personal participant page here:

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/vin

I get that this is a big ask, but I know this group of people represent a formidable team in the fight against this disease, and you'll understand my ask.

God bless you all. You're all special to me. Fight the fight!!! WE CAN WIN!!!!

Vin

 

Comments

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #2
    Bald-headed support

    Vin, I'm thrilled to bits to hear how brilliantly you're doing after one of the bad end prognoses.

    I like your reasoning and applaud your going for it.

    I fear I won't be following your lead though - it's cold enough on the golf course when below zero with strong winds blowing, but more important for me - I can get sunburnt in the snow - if, in warmer weather I forgot to take a hat the top of my head would rapidly burn badly. But wwe're all fighting in our own ways and I like yours.

     

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #3
    I would but,

    Mother nature beat me to it!  I'll make the claim that it was done in solidarity!

    Best wishes and holding high hopes for all you undertake!!

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #4
    MDCinSC said:

    I would but,

    Mother nature beat me to it!  I'll make the claim that it was done in solidarity!

    Best wishes and holding high hopes for all you undertake!!

    Nice!

    Nice Vin ! I'll also have to check my drain and old baseball hats for leftovers. I'd give it up in a second.

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #5
    Great cause...

    Don't be flip flopping while you're under the razor tonoght, you could get seriously hurt.  Count me in, I saw the "before" pic, will there be an "after" pic on your site tomorrow?

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #6
    garym said:

    Great cause...

    Don't be flip flopping while you're under the razor tonoght, you could get seriously hurt.  Count me in, I saw the "before" pic, will there be an "after" pic on your site tomorrow?

    Gary in

    Does anyone have need of a quantity of pig bristle?Laughing

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #7
    Texas_wedge said:

    Gary in

    Does anyone have need of a quantity of pig bristle?Laughing

    Probably not...

    But a little piece of tail never hurt anybody...

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #8
    garym said:

    Probably not...

    But a little piece of tail never hurt anybody...

    Of coure there is

    the story of th elittle dog walking along the railroad tracks whena train came by and cutoff his tail!  When he turned around to bark at the train, another one came along and cut off his head!!

     

    The moral?  Don't lose your head over a little piece of tail!

  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    #9
    Good response/great cause

    Terrific news Vin. So pleased you're doing so well. 

    And great cause. John and I get involved in this same cause here in Baltimore at one of our local pubs (Daugherty's),  though neither of us have been shavees yet; we do adamantly support the cause through our shavee friends!

    Wishing you the  best with a continued great response and in raising funds for St. Baldrick's. 

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