Shaving it all off to raise cancer $$

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Shaving one's head may save on styling costs, but in this case, doing so is for a worthy cause come Saturday.

Fifteen Austin firefighters will take part in the annual fundraiser for the St. Baldrick's Foundation , a nonprofit organization that raises money to help fight childhood cancers.

The men and women will each have their heads shaved completely bald starting at 6 p.m. at Fado's, 214 W. 4th Street.

The point of the shaving is to connect in some ways with the children who have cancer as they, too, have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. The name -- St. Baldrick's -- is a blending of "St. Patrick's" and "bald."

Firefighters and police officers are the two largest groups nationwide that have taken on this annual event.

Since 2005, the foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $57 million. Grants are awarded in spring and fall each year for infrastructure at medical facilities and research groups. Its governing board consists of nine members and one of emeritus status.

In 2010 alone, on a national level, the event raised more than $22 million.

For those who might wonder what they would look like bald, there's an iPhone application called HeadBlade that allows a person to see what they would look like with no hair.

According to St. Baldrick's Foundation, each year, 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S. and Canada.

Those who would like to share a childhood cancer story can do so on the foundation's website .