PA students and staff get their heads shaved at the annual St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser.
Students in the Duke Physician Assistant Program have raised $12,488 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research grants.
Kicking off the annual “Brave the Shave Day” on May 6 at West 94th Street Pub in the Woodcroft Shopping Center were several members of the Class of 2019 running a 5K benefiting St. Baldrick’s. Deidre Pelletier was the second-fastest female runner, followed by a group of dedicated PA students, faculty and staff.
Duke PA students gathered later that day with members of the community to honor this year’s St. Baldrick’s kids, including a young girl fighting osteosarcoma with the help of her loving family and friends. The afternoon included a silent auction featuring a basketball signed by Duke Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski, along with other Durham merchandise and memorabilia.
The PA program showed its encouragement as PA program administrative secretary Irene Lynch and four students — Alvaro Sutachan Sanchez, Stephen Ramos and Patrick Whitman — shaved their heads in solidarity with childhood cancer patients. Beards were not off limits, as Patrick Whitman shaved his for additional donations. Four other students — Yaying Wang, Krissy Ngo, Ann Lin and Becca Howell — cut and donated their hair to Wigs for Kids.
All of the money raised went directly toward funding treatments and cures of childhood cancer with the goal of giving kids happier, healthier lives. The Class of 2019 hosted a number of fundraisers over the past few months to aid in this cause. Laura Barton chaired the St. Baldrick’s fundraising committee and, with the help of Annie Nosek, organized a Duke PA program takeover night at West 94th Street Pub. Ashley McGee organized the second annual Bike for St. Baldrick’s spin class at CycleBar Brier Creek. Emma Martinelli organized a Sunday yoga class with local instructor Jennie Dickson-Mills. Rachael Mudd’s succulent sale was a class favorite, with students painting and potting their own succulents to decorate the program’s lecture hall. PA students, faculty and staff participated in many of these activities, as well as fundraising on their own. Twenty-eight students raised $100 or more.
This is the Duke Physician Assistant Program’s seventh year participating in fundraising for St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Previous years combined have raised approximately $128,000.