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The year 2006 was a tough one for Sharon Raimondo. It was when the mom of three learned that her son, Joey, who was 3 years old at the time, had leukemia.

While Joey is now in remission, Raimondo does not want to rest easy. She wants to do something to put the time her son spent in treatment behind her. She also wants to recognize what he went through in a meaningful way and honor the physicians who helped. For Raimondo, who lives with her family in Mather, Calif., the way to do all of that is simple — she will shave her head.

That is why Raimondo is part of the "Bald Chicks" team participating in today's St. Baldrick's Foundation head-shaving event, where more than 100 people will voluntarily lose their hair to raise funds for pediatric cancer research.

She and three friends formed the "chicks" to build greater awareness of childhood cancer. They chose St. Baldrick's because the money raised goes directly to research.

"I really wanted to do something important for Joey and all children with cancer," she said. "Not many women get their heads shaved, so my new look will be a conversation starter for a while. When people ask me about it, I'll tell them how important it is to give to childhood cancer research."

All St. Baldrick's participants can shave in recognition of a cancer patient. As a team, the chicks are shaving for one of their own children. One of them learned soon after signing on for the event that her son, just 7 months old, has brain and spinal cord cancer.

"No child and no parent should go through this experience," said Robyn Raphael, founder of the Keaton Raphael Memorial and organizer of local St. Baldrick's events. "Almost every day I hear about another diagnosis. It's heartbreaking. I especially admire St. Baldrick's participants. They are willing to give up a big part of their own identities to show support for families who are dealing with the toughest time of their lives. And they are making sure that fewer families in the future have to go through the same thing."

Business owners, sports figures, community leaders, physicians, parents and others have been collecting sponsors in exchange for their commitment to go bald between 4 and 8 p.m. today at the ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Cancer Center, which is located at 4501 X Street in Sacramento. Sacramento-region St. Baldrick's events are very important to the center's Pediatric Cancer Program. Since 2004, more than $280,000 in funding has helped support efforts ranging from clinical trials of a new anti-cancer drug to new diagnostic tools to a fellowship program.

"Events like this one are crucial to advancing our research efforts," said Ted Zwerdling, who is Joey's ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Cancer Center physician and a regular St. Baldrick's "shavee." "Government funding for pediatric cancer has been significantly reduced in recent years. We simply cannot continue to make advances toward curing childhood cancer without the community coming together for us like they do at St. Baldrick's."

Opportunities to register as a shavee, pledge support for the chicks and other participants, or make a direct donation are available online at www.stbaldricks.org. Click on "find an event near you" and add "Sacramento" in the city field. Proceeds benefit the St. Baldrick's Foundation and the Keaton Raphael Memorial.

For more information, contact Robyn Raphael at (916) 784-6786 or info@childcancer.org.

Karen Finney is a senior public information representative for the ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Health System.