Ex-cancer boy goes bald for charity

SINGAPORE - When Primary 4 pupil Gabriel Loh thought about shaving his head to help children fighting cancer, he was worried people would laugh at him.

But the 10-year-old and his parents remembered how he battled cancer five years ago, and how they had received help from people like doctors and social workers at the Children's Cancer Foundation (CCF).

So all hesitation was put aside as he became the foundation's poster boy for its Hair for Hope event this year.

Gabriel had his head shaved on Saturday by Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing at the VivoCity event.

"I want to support other children who are still battling cancer," said Gabriel, who had suffered from neuroblastoma, a rare type of childhood cancer that develops from immature nerve cells in infants and young children.

He went through various kinds of treatment, from chemotherapy to radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant procedure, before his stage four cancer was given the all-clear.

Gabriel was one of 1,480 people who signed up to shave their heads as part of the Hair for Hope's two-day event, which ended on Sunday.

The event, now in its 12th year, is organised by the CCF to raise funds and awareness of childhood cancer. It hopes to raise $3.6 million this year by getting 6,500 people to go bald.

Prior to the event, more than 3,400 had their heads shaved at 53 satellite events held islandwide over the last three months in schools, companies, public agencies and grassroots organisations.

ateng@sph.com.sg

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.