Somersfield students raise $45,000 for St. Baldrick's

Somersfield Academy students raised $45,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for childhood cancer research during their recent Community and Service Day.

In a school-wide fundraiser, 19 students, teachers and parents volunteered to have their heads shaved as a mark of solidarity with cancer sufferers who suffer hair loss as a result of chemotherapy treatment.

Meanwhile 150 Middle Year students and teachers braved the pouring rain to complete a three-mile Walk-A-Thon and some 130 students also took to the streets of Hamilton with the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre to hand out sunscreen and educate people on the street about the benefits of being "sun smart". The Centre’s SunSmart skin cancer awareness programme is funded by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Somersfield's Children’s House students (aged 3-6) raised money by doing extra chores at home and took part in a Trash-A-Thon with each bag earning a donation to St. Baldrick’s from Keep Bermuda Beautiful.

In addition, students ended the school year with a Wacky Hair Day - students donated $2.00 to come to school in crazy hairstyles, colours and wigs.

Lead Organiser Tracey Gibbons said the event had been a "tremendous success". She said: "Not only did the children help raise a fantastic amount of money for a worthy cause but it was  wonderful to see the whole Somersfield community enter into the spirit of the day. I think the rewards of such a great team effort were as valuable to the students as the funds will be to St. Baldrick's.

"We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the school staff, students and parents for all their efforts."

Shaving and hair-colouring services were donated by the TK Hair Creative Team (Tanju and Traci), and Tony at Bang Bang Hair.