TAKE A BREAK: Bald Heads = Big Hearts

Approach any group of students and ask who wants to shave their heads.

How many do you think you'd get?

2?

3?

4?

Lately there's been significantly more.

And many of the bald heads we see represent a big heart.

They're not chopping off their locks to keep up with a recent fashion trend.

They have loftier goals.

One freshly shaven youngster says he did it, "Basically just because I wanted to stop cancer."

A group of youngsters going under the scissors at Rumors salon recently in Latham took part in something called St. Baldrick's day with a common friend in mind.

Ben Stowell.

Tim Stowell's son, Ben, was just 9 years old when he lost his battle with bone cancer. He'd been a fun loving little boy who found a way to stay positive despite all the procedures and treatments. St Baldricks, a day designed to show support and raise money for cancer patients, was something he looked forward to.

"He thought it was really cool because it showed a level of solidarity and that's what he really liked about it," says Tim, "becuase it was the one time where he was no longer the only little bald head in the room."

His friends say they're keeping his memory alive by keep all those other little bald heads in the room.

And they're raising a lot of money doing it.

Alexa Dicaprio, the only young lady in the bunch, first asked her mom a year ago if she could shave her head for Ben. It took some convincing but eventually, mom Amy, couldn't say no.

"Very proud of her and amzaed that she would think outside of herself to do something so great."

This type of head shaving support is not limited to the elementary and middle school crowd.

Take 16 year old Sarah Pierce and her 19 year old sister Emily who shaved their heads in honor of theur 21 year old brother.

Zach Pierce, who's been battling brain tumors since he was just 5 years old, says he was surprised when his sisters said they were going to shave their heads.

"I said they were crazy," he admits.

But they were also crazy successful, raising nearly $5000.

As you can imagine, all of these young people are eager for their hair to grow back.

After it does most of them say they'll chop it off again.

Putting their heads together to honor a friend.

Tim Stowell say, "the children absolutely get it, that we are on this planet to help one another."

 More info on St. Baldricks: http://www.stbaldricks.org/