Curtin Sarawak taking ‘bald’ step in support of childhood cancer

Miri – 26 March 2015 – Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) is once again supporting the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society’s (SCCS) Go Bald campaign by holding its third Go Bald Satellite Shave at its campus on 24 April 2015.

Like the main Gold Bald events usually held in shopping malls across Sarawak, a satellite shave is a mini Go Bald event organised by schools, corporate companies, NGOs or any other community organisations at their premises to build awareness of childhood cancer and raise funds for the cause.

The event at Curtin Sarawak is being jointly organised by the university’s corporate communications department and the SCCS Miri Branch. It will be held from 9.30 am to 11.30 am at the foyer of the Harry Perkins Lecture Theatre, the same venue as last year’s satellite shave which saw over 70 students and staff, including five females, getting their heads shaved.

Students and staff of the university are encouraged to support the cause by seeking public donations to their pledge cards to support them going bald in solidarity with children affected by cancer. Those who do not wish to shave their heads can contribute by simply helping to collect donations for Go Bald. Pledge cards are available from the university’s corporate communications department.

Curtin Sarawak has pledged to support Go Bald for as long as it continues and it is hoped that up to 100 or more students and staff will come forward to support the cause this year.

Over RM9,000 was raised from last year’s event and 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 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 in Kuching.

First launched in 2009, Go Bald is an awareness and fundraising event organised annually in various cities and towns throughout Sarawak. It is now the largest head-shaving charity event in Malaysia and the signature fundraiser for the SCCS.

The main Go Bald event in Miri will be on 17 May at Bintang Megamall. For more information on Go Bald, visit sccs.org.my/.

Curtin Sarawak students and staff with shaven heads after the 2014 Satellite Shave.