We met The Bald and The Beautiful Notre Dame students
Awesome hair for an awesome cause
Since 2009, Notre Dame students have been running The Bald & The Beautiful, an event in which students donate their hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths and raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation and Memorial Hospital to fund cancer research.
Students donating their hair set up fundraisers and receive donations. This past week was TBAB Week, with several students cutting their hair and shaving their heads in solidarity with the cause.
Freshman Sofia Carozza shaved her head on Thursday, donating her beautiful 12-inch locks to charity.
Sofia decided to shave her head last October, upon first learning about the event.
“I chose to donate my hair in solidarity with the many men and women who undergo chemotherapy for treatment of this disease,” she said. “The very least I can do is practice empathy.”
For many, their hair is their most prized possession. “Losing one’s hair is a difficult experience that leaves you feeling exposed and helpless – I think there’s something empowering about choosing to face that vulnerability, and embrace it,” added Sofia.
“As a Neuroscience major, I have studied the incredible complexity of the disease and am aware of the enormity of the associated costs of treatment and research.” She raised $1,240 towards the fight against cancer.
And look, she’s still gorgeous!
Also on Thursday, freshman Madi Antekeier shaved half her head in support of the foundation.
“Because my hair is dyed blue, I knew that they wouldn’t accept my hair as a donation, but I still wanted to do it in solidarity. It is important to me because my grandmother had cancer,” Madi said. She added, “I think a blue wig would be rad though.”
“As soon as I found out about the opportunity, I was all in.” Madi is understanding of why people are nervous to lose their hair, but she found the whole experience to be surprisingly empowering. “Feeling my shaved head wasn’t sad, just very new.”
She leaves a warning for those who are considering shaving their heads: the razor tickles.
Several other students, male and female alike, participated. Senior Dillon Bak’s hair started growing longer months ago, but he decided to continue growing out his curly hair over eight inches so it could be donated.
Thank you, students, for being such an inspiration. I’m proud to see the Fighting Irish fighting against cancer.
Be prepared to see less hair but even more beauty around campus.