Firefighters do a lot of heroic acts through their work, and now, Waterbury Local 1339 is stepping up in another way to help kids with cancer.
On Saturday, the firefighters will be hosting a signature head-shaving event to show solidarity with children battling cancer, and raise lifesaving funds.
One in five kids diagnosed with cancer in the United States will not survive and those who do often suffer long-term effects from treatment too harsh for their bodies.
"With pediatric cancer, there are staggering numbers. Every two minutes worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer. It doesn’t discriminate, any child anywhere in the world can come down with it. And it’s a horrible diagnosis. And anything we can do to help is fantastic. And any dollar that we raise is a dollar more than they have," Waterbury Fire Department Captain Daniel Chieffo.
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With Saturday's event, the firefighters are hoping to raise $10,000 for St. Baldrick's Foundation that would go toward research, cures and treatments.
They've been doing this head-shave event ever since 2010.
So far, participants have signed up to shave their heads, including Chieffo. He's organized the event and has participated all 12 years.
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"People like me who really can’t grow hair, grow pretty bad stuff, and it’s a windy day, so it’s looking pretty bad. But the mustache is coming off tomorrow, and this really silly head of hair, what I have, will be coming off tomorrow. And there are some people who normally don’t have hair try to grow it, but I’ve seen in the past people have spiked their hair, they’ve dyed hair different colors. It’s kind of a carnival-like event, and everyone there is always having a great time, great mood because they really believe in the cause," Chieffo said.
It all kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday at Brass Works Brewing in Waterbury. The event will run through 6 p.m.
