Hello friends!

My name is Mikayla Zagoria-Moffet (but you probably already knew that) and on April 21, 2016, I will be SHAVING MY HEAD to help raise funds for childhood cancer research.

Why this organization?: The reason why I've chosen to shave my head to raise funds for children's cancer through St. Baldrick's is because they give more money to the research of childhood cancer than any other organization (excepting the US government). They are accountable and established and do more than just "awareness" work that can suck up funding without concrete results. Facts: Each year, in the US alone, over 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer and 1 in 5 do not survive. That's 20%... and we can do better. Childhood cancer research is severely underfunded; your donations to this cause can and will make a difference, no matter how small.

But shaving your head?:

I'm shaving my head for two reasons: first, I'm doing so to stand in solidarity with those who lose hair as a result of cancer treatments. Second, it's to motivate others to send in those donations... (trust me, I am quite confident that I will look pretty funny with a shaved head!) But it'll be more than worth it and as incentive for your donation, we will be posting a video on April 21, 2016 of Adam, my spouse, shaving my head.

"Brave the Shave": They use the slogan "brave the shave" for volunteers who are shaving their heads for a cancer-related cause. I don't think I'm braving anything; this has nothing to do with my bravery. This has everything to do with the bravery of the children and the families that are battling childhood cancer, and if agreeing to shave my head can help bring in donations, then by all means, bring on the razors. :) Kids Honored: The child I'm keeping in my prayers as I do this fundraiser is featured below, and there's a nifty little link that will show you a cute photo and his "cancer story" as written by his mother, Ellie. His name is Rex and he is a rockstar-- and so are his parents and his little sister. I'd encourage you to visit this page to learn more about their experiences as Drexel was diagnosed with leukemia; you can find this located under "Messages" on his Honored Kid page. Here's a little tidbit from that piece that Ellie wrote about Rex: "He is a "cancer kid". He is smart. He is tenacious, loving, and kind. And some day he is going to be furious that children's cancer receives a fraction of the funding that it should. Please help. Not all kids are as lucky as he to have made it this far into treatment. No child should ever have cancer."