Emmaus High School, Shave for the Brave

More than 80 Emmaus High School students, faculty and family queued up in the gym last night to have their heads shaved for a cure.

Each "shavee" collected donations from friends and family to support St. Baldrick's, a foundation that funds research to find cures for childhood cancers.

This is the second Shave for the Brave at EHS, organized by English teacher Shannon Petrunak. Petrunak is also the head track and field coach. Last year her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to shave her head in preparation for chemotherapy.

In an effort to show her support, Petrunak found the St. Baldrick's Foundation and and organized a fundraiser at the school.They had a goal to raise $5,000, but raised more than $24,000.

So, Petrunak organized it again this year and had already raised more than $22,000 before the event even began on March 18. And this year, two things were different; her mother had her own hair back, and Petrunak herself is four months pregnant, making the event doubly poignant.

Though it was mostly the boys and men who got shaved, 14 girls and women, including Petrunak, also volunteered.

Sisters Kayla Hudak and her sister Tanya held hands while both their heads were shaved. Kayla said they did for their cousin who was diagnosed with cancer when he was 7 years old. She said it shows that one person can make a difference.