Northern Alberta
HAIR MASSACURE 2014 Impact Report
Thank you for supporting
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Thank you for supporting our 12th annual Hair Massacure! Hair Massacure Northern Alberta is a campaign that raises awareness and money to help children facing life-threatening illnesses. Participants dye their hair pink, shave their heads and/or donate their hair for wigs, collecting pledges in support of Hair Massacure’s three co-recipient charities – the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta and Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta.
History of Hair Massacure The MacDonald Family
Tammy and Gordon MacDonald founded Hair Massacure in 2003, prompted by their daughter Kali’s third hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The family considered fundraising a secondary goal to raising awareness about children facing life-threatening illnesses. event on February 14, 2003, at Gordon’s Canada Post workplace. Tammy MacDonald ran the event for 11 years, stepping down as its executive director in 2013 due to the increasing scope of the event and the resources needed to run it. Today, the co-recipient charities run Hair Massacure with the MacDonald’s serving in an advisory role.
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NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Hair Massacure Milestones
2003
• 2003 – First St. Valentine’s Day Hair Massacre event with proceed to Kids with Cancer Society
2006
• 2005 – Logo designed of “Proud Victim” in stylist’s chair; Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta added as co-recipient charity • 2006 – Pink hair introduced; event moved to West Edmonton Mall where it earned Guinness record for “most heads shaved under one roof in a 24-hour period” • 2007 – Event name changed to Hair Massacure; funding model changed to make Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta co-recipients of funds • 2008 – Logo redesigned • 2011 – Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta added as third corecipient charity • 2013 – Hair Massacure expanded to Calgary and Lethbridge in support of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and Make-A-Wish Southern Alberta • 2014 – Three co-recipient charities assume responsibilities associated with running Hair Massacure
2004 2005
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
FUNDS RAISED
Hair Massacure has raised more than $8.98 million in support of children with life-threatening illnesses.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
$1.4 million raised! www.hairmassacure.com
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About Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta has community in Alberta for 16 years. We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. A positive state of mind plays a vital The wish experience is a powerful force and vehicle of hope for wish kids and their families. From the generous donations made by this incredible community, we have been able to make wishes like Isabella’s come true.
* National survey of the Make-A-Wish “community”, including health care professionals, wishfamilies and volunteers conducted by TCC Group from 2012 through 2011.
For more information on Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta, visit: www.makeawishna.ca. 4
Isabella
Age 10, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
“I wish to go to and volunteer at an orphanage.” Isabella is a 10-year-old girl whose wish was to volunteer at an orphanage. In her words, she wanted to hold babies and make them feel loved. Everything came together seamlessly for Isabella’s wish; support from the entire city of Edmonton in her quest to provide food and clothing to the children. At the orphanage in Mexico, Isabella and her family played with the children and helped with care giving. A lot of Isabella’s time was spent in the nursery with the babies. They also had the opportunity to accompany the children on some outings into the community.
Make-A-Wish ambassador, Isabella, cuts the Queen of Heart’s hair off for donation.
Isabella is planning their return to the orphanage already; proof that this wish will leave an imprint on Isabella and the family for many years come! On behalf of the staff, volunteers, and our many wish children and families, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and hope you’ll join us in making more wishes come true in the future.
Make-A-Wish CEO, Cathy Gabucci shaving an EPS officer’s head.
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Did you know? •
There are more than 200 pediatric specialists and sub-specialists providing care for children at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
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The Stollery is a world-renowned facility for complex and specialized services in heart surgery, solid organ transplantation, pediatric and neonatal intensive care, cancer care and neurosciences.
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The Stollery provides specialized care for families from all over Alberta, the western provinces and the territories.
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There are more than 210,000 patient visits at the Stollery each year, including: • 9,000 inpatient stays • 8,700 surgery cases • 170,000 ambulatory care visits
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The only dedicated pediatric emergency in central and northern Alberta is at the Stollery. There are more than 40,000 patient visits per year.
Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation 1502 College Plaza, 8215-112 Street Edmonton, AB T6G 2C8 Phone: 780-433-5437 www.stollerykids.com
About the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation is committed to funding excellence at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Excellence comes in many forms: specialized equipment; sub-specialty education to train the brightest medical minds; research to pave the way to the discovery of new treatments and cures; and specialized pediatric programs that enhance family-centred care, and patient and family outcomes. Given the complexities of childhood illnesses, research plays a huge role in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in children. That’s why one of the Foundation’s key roles is to support innovate research at the Stollery. A portion of the annual proceeds from Hair Massacure goes to fund pediatric research at the Stollery. Dr. Shairaz Baksh, the associate director of pediatrics at the University of Alberta, is on the receiving end of this important funding. “My research involves understanding the origins of childhood cancers,” explains Dr. Baksh. “Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for that drives the cancer so we’re attempting to
Hair Massacure Founders, Tammy and Kali MacDonald, with Stollery researcher, Dr. Shairaz Baksh
therapeutics for children because kids respond differently than adults. He says, however, that today’s research is providing hope for the future.
Dr. Baksh says community support for organizations like the Stollery Children’s possible for his programs to progress year after year. “We’re so grateful for the support because for us it’s really about better from progressing.”
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Maria
Age 15, Acute Lymphomatic Leukemia Maria, 15, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphomatic Leukemia in May 2012. She’s currently in the “maintenance phase” of her treatment, taking a chemo pill every day while visiting the Stollery Children’s Hospital every month for treatment. Maria looks forward to celebrating her 16th birthday and completing her two-and-a-half year treatment plan this fall. Last year, Maria participated in Hair Massacure by shaving her head. At this year’s Hair Massacure, Maria enjoyed cutting and shaving participants’ hair off while learning about their inspiration to participate in the event. “Thank you to all of the participants, volunteers and sponsors for supporting this year’s Hair Massacure.Thank you for helping kids like me.”
- Maria Lovsin
Stollery Kid, Maria, shaves Mike House, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation’s President & CEO
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Did you know? • Over 800 families stay in the 32 family suites at RMHNA each year. • The length of stay at the House—dependent upon the length of treatment—sometimes stretches to weeks, months and on occasion, years. • While the majority of young children staying at the House requiring treatment are heart transplant patients, a good number are cancer patients, premature babies or children with respiratory problems. • Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta accommodates families from areas outside a 45km radius from Stollery Children’s Hospital including Northern and Southern Alberta, as well as British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwest Territories. • Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta is the only facility in Edmonton and surrounding area to provide families this type of service for a nominal fee of only $12 per night and if they are experiencing
About
Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta (RMHNA) provides temporary accommodation and support for families of critically ill children who travel to Edmonton seeking medical treatment. A compassionate home away from home, the House allows families to stay together in a comforting, safe and supportive environment during a time of crisis. When a child is sick, RMHNA heals the family. RMHNA gives parents and family members the ability to be with their sick child because research shows that children heal faster when their families are by their side as much as possible. Sick and frightened children need more than just good medical attention, they need love, comfort and support from their families; they want their mom and dad, brothers and sisters at their side.
For more information on Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta, visit: www.rmhnorthernalberta.org.
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Delaney
Age 12, Rhabdomyosarcoma Delaney Saunders was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma at nine-years-old. The McDonald House® Northern Alberta (RMHNA) in September of 2011 when Delaney was undergoing four weeks of radiation therapy. The family lives two hours east of Edmonton, so driving everyday was not an option. “What a blessing that turned out to be,” said Leasa, Delaney’s mom. “The House will forever be a huge part of our journey, our healing….our success in beating the big bad monster called cancer!” “The House is a house…yes, but more than that I tell everyone that the house is a home. From the beautiful rooms to the amazing kitchen….the magic room, the playroom and the school. More than this however, the people…employees and volunteers…these are the portions of the house that make it a home,” said Leasa.
Delaney with her mom, Leasa, at RMHNA.
Delaney completed her treatments in May of 2012 with a successful stem cell transplant in Calgary. She is currently cancer free and dancing her way through life. She is in Grade 7 this year and will turn 13 in May. She loves to babysit and spend time with her friends. Delaney and her family stop by RMHNA for a visit whenever they are in Edmonton, often times bearing gifts for the families currently staying at the House. To date, Delaney has donated over $7,000 from fundraisers she has done since returning home.
Ronald McDonald House kid shaves RMHNA CEO Martin Dugas’ hair.
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Thank you! For more information on Hair Massacure: Phone: 780-433-5437 Email: info@hairmassacure.com Website: www.hairmassacure.com Northern Alberta
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