Sports

TMLA AD shaving head to help raise money for cancer research

Joe Lewinger wasn’t exactly sure the type of response he would get.

The Mary Louis athletic director’s wife Maura brought to him the idea of shaving his head in unison with the St. Baldrick’s Society. The volunteer-driven charity organization is one committed to funding the most promising research to find cures to childhood cancers. He quickly agreed to do it in honor of his daughter Madison.

“I kind of wanted to know what Maddy felt like when she didn’t have any hair,” Lewinger said.

Their 5-year-old twins Jack and Madison were diagnosed with cancer three years ago. Madison has been battling her second relapse of Wilms’ tumor, but has recently been taken off chemotherapy after no new growths were present on the last scan. Maura Lewinger signed up both Joe and Jack to shave their heads 1 p.m. this Saturday at St. Agnes Church in Rockville Centre and set a donation goal of $2,000 from sponsors. After a Facebook post, it took on a life of its own.

“We set our goals kind of low because we didn’t kind of know how much we’d be able to raise,” Lewinger said. “We reached 2,000 dollars in two days. I couldn’t believe it.”

His team, named Brave & Strong, has since raised more than $10,000 among the 12 people who will be having their heads shaven Saturday. They include family members, current members of the Mary Louis faculty like Kevin O’Hagan and John Stella, the assistant principal of the Washington Street School in the Franklin Square school district, where Jack and Maddy attend. The school has made a push there to support Stella. Ironically enough, it is Jack that is leading the team with more the $2,000 pledges to his name.

“He is killing me here,” Lewinger joked.

For those interested in helping out, you can go to http://www.stbaldricks.org, click on Make a Donation and search for team Brave & Strong. The charity has already raised more than $14 million so far this year and $22.2 million a year ago.

“It’s for the whole idea of trying to find a way to get rid of this problem,” Lewinger said.