Curtin Sarawak students and staff go bald to raise awareness of childhood cancer

Miri – 13 May 2016 – Students and staff of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) wholeheartedly showed their support for children suffering from cancer by having their heads shaven at the university’s fourth annual Go Bald Satellite Shave last Wednesday.

The satellite shave, which is part of the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society’s (SCCS) annual Go Bald campaign throughout Sarawak and a prelude to the Go Bald main shave in Miri on 22 May, saw 22 students and staff, including two ladies, bravely going bald.

While these 22 decided to go ‘all the way’ and had their heads shaven in solidarity with children affected by cancer, a large number of students and staff chose to support by simply collecting donations from the general public for the cause.

Like the Go Bald main shaves usually held in shopping malls in major cities and towns, a satellite shave is a mini Go Bald event organised by educational institutions, corporations, NGOs or other community organisations at their premises to build awareness of childhood cancer and raise funds for the SCCS.

Curtin Sarawak has pledged to support the Go Bald campaign, which is now into its eighth year, for as long as it continues and each year, thousands of ringgit are raised through the noble efforts of the campus community.

The funds are channelled to the SCCS’ initiatives to support rural families affected by childhood cancer and for the young patients to seek treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching, the only medical facility in Sarawak equipped to treat cancer patients.

The support provided includes housing and financial support, as well as counselling and emotional support for the patients and families; providing medical consumables and financing bone marrow transplants. At the same time, SCCS helps the family members secure new jobs or sign up at new schools while the patients are undergoing treatment.

Go Bald is now the largest head-shaving charity event in Malaysia and the signature fundraiser for the SCCS. For more information on Go Bald, visit sccs.org.my/.

Present at the satellite shave was Curtin Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski and Corporate Communications Manager Nicholas Leong, as well as SCCS treasurer Jocelyn Hee and members of SCCS Miri Branch.

Students proud of having done their bit for the cause.

A lecturer proving that bald can indeed by sexy.

Shavee capturing friends on camera.