Donald Lee and Ian Wixson will host their second campus “fund-razor” in support of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a national nonprofit committed to helping fund research to find cures for childhood cancer.

Last year, the pair raised more than $1,200 for St. Baldrick’s by embracing what the foundation calls the “bold act of baldness” and shaving their heads to raise funds and awareness. Donors are again invited to watch the shaving and give encouragement in the College of Engineering lobby. This year’s event, the EHD Throw Down, will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on April 6.   

To date, the event has raised more than $2,700 of its $5,000 goal. In addition to the head-shaving event, Dr. Hilary Marusak, a post-doctoral fellow in Wayne State University’s Department of Pharmacy Practice, will provide brief opening remarks. Marusak was a 2017 recipient of a Supportive Care Research grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for her work on martial arts therapy to reduce pain experienced by childhood cancer patients.

Lee (pictured), supervisor of the College of Engineering’s Engineering Help Desk, began supporting St. Baldrick’s about 10 years ago when a family friend lost their 3-year-old daughter to leukemia. At the time, he donated enough hair to make two wigs for children battling cancer.

“Part of my goal in life is to raise awareness for the need of cancer research focused on saving children,” Lee said. “Every two minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer, and more than 90 percent of all cancer treatments are designed to treat patients over the age of 65. Those numbers just don’t add up.”

Through its signature, volunteer-led head-shaving events, St. Baldrick’s Foundation has enabled the funding of more than $203 million in grants supporting childhood cancer research. The foundation has funded more of these grants than any organization outside of the U.S. government.

Lee has remained committed to the cause, shaving five times so far. His passion inspired Wixson (pictured with clippers), a senior majoring in computer science who is also a student assistant at the Help Desk, to get involved.

“It’s an easy cause to get behind, and I wanted to join Donald because his passion for it was so obvious,” Wixson said. “I hope to have the same impact and inspire others.”

The Engineering Society of Detroit student organization has also created a fundraising team and plans to participate.

“The people at Wayne State are a very caring group,” Lee said. “This isn’t just a workplace; it’s one great big family. People here have hearts of gold.”

To learn more about the EHD Throw Down or to donate, contact Donald Lee at ax3036@wayne.edu or visit: www.stbaldricks.org/events/EHDthrowdown.