DGN Raises $15,000 for St. Baldrick's

raised more money this fall for St. Baldrick's than ever before. 

DGN raised $15,000 for the charity. It's the highest amount for the fundraiser, which usually raises between $5,000 to $10,000. The DGN girls swimming and diving team has organized the fundraiser for the past four years. 

St. Baldrick's Foundation supports pediatric cancer research, raising funds in part through encouraging men and women to shave their heads in solidarity with child who lose their hair after chemotherapy.

Downers Grove North also had more shavees this year than last. 

In 2010, under 20 students shaved their heads, said Kristine Busse, assistant coach for the DGN swimming and diving team. In 2011, 47 students shaved their heads. Most were boys, though four girls also shaved their heads. 

One of those girls was Cameron Nichols, a DGN sophomore. She was also one of the first to had her head shaved. 

"I just felt I was ready," Nichols said. "I asked my mom because she's the one who gets my hair done. I felt like it was the right thing to do." 

She didn't cry, she said, but she was "kind of scared." 

"I've never had my head shaved before," she said. "I had rather short hair, but I loved that hair. Now my head is a lot lighter and cold. I've started wearing hats everywhere." 

Nichols raised more than $2,000 for St. Baldrick's. She said her parents sent out e-mails to friends asking for a favor, and they "100 percent delivered." 

"It was really amazing," Nichols said. "I'm so proud of the community for how they just came together." 

Those who know someone who has had childhood cancer take the fundraiser more seriously, Busse said, though those who don't are still very engaged in the process and excited to help. 

"A lot more people are rallying around it," Busse said. "They're thinking about it. They realize they're doing something greater than themselves." 

Even new members of the swimming and diving team have become involved with the fundraiser. 

"They've volunteered to do announcements and walk around during lunch periods," Busse said. "The seniors really stepped up this year, too." 

The swim team started organizing the fundraiser when the mom of a former member, a pediatric ongologist nurse, asked them to. 

Busse said the team did a lot more this year to increase student involvement. 

"We had something on the announcements every day," Busse said. "We had a table at lunch to collect donations. We sold T-shirts, which the swim team wore to increase awareness."