To many high school students, looks are important.

To Nedal Eid, helping others is much more valuable.

The senior, entering his fifth year of participating, has shaved his head year after year in order to raise awareness for childhood cancer. In addition to raising awareness, he also works to generate donations for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that works to conquer childhood cancers.

Eid said he first started “because my mom works at Case Western and she is around doctors and other researchers that have been involved in the cause for many years. One year she brought the idea up to me and I was really excited to try it.”

Also participating in shaving their heads this year are Mr. Jerry Turk, Ms. Jennifer Cioffi, Charlie Schneier, ‘Speedy’ Veloz, Kayla Konst, and Michael Zemanek. Eid hope the increase in participants correlates to an increase in donations.

“My original expectations were that we would raise about $3,000. Seeing as 3 team members already have $1,000 each, I feel we might be able to reach $5,000,” Eid said last week. “We are currently at $4,832 so even $6,000 is within reach with the help of the Mustache for Cash fundraiser and big clubs in the school donating such as Student council, NHS, FUSE, Interact, DMP, and Cat’s Cabinet.”

“[Eid]’s been doing this fundraiser and actually going to Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital every March now for the past three years. He has raised thousands of dollars in doing so—all on his own, without any outside help except for him or inspiration. This is really his thing,” Spanish teacher and participant Jerry Turk said.

“If Nedal can do it—it’s not easy being a high school freshman and sophomore with all the pressure to ‘look pretty’ or whatever—if he can do it, that motivates me,” Turk said.

If people would like to donate, they can do so at www.stbaldricks.org or give cash or a check to any team members directly.