There’s a faint buzzing through the Marlowe Middle School gymnasium as friends sit on the bleachers and laugh. Green sweatshirts and hoodies litter the crowd as people proudly wear the St. Baldrick’s logo across their chests.

On Feb. 28 and March 1, “The Battle of the Bald” event was held at Marlowe Middle School and Pinecrest Golf Course for St. Baldrick’s. This event was set up by Sean Cratty in order to raise money for childhood cancer research.

“To have Huntley as a community come together and raise this much money, it means everything to us,” community member Sue Erickson said.

Her son, Matthew Erickson, was born with a brain tumor. With the money donated to St. Baldrick’s, they have been able to donate money to research for high-grade glioma. Initially, Matthew was given a 0% chance to live; however, he is now 13 years old because of the work people have put in.

Many teachers at the high school also took part in this event, as they wanted to support families who have had a child with cancer.

“To have a child go through cancer, that is so hard,” said Cindy Fitzgerald, adaptive physical education teacher. “This is a way that I can help contribute and bring awareness to this wonderful organization.”

Fitzgerald is in her 10th year of participating in St. Baldrick’s as well as beating cancer. She has Matthew in one of her classes and wants to support St. Baldrick’s to help him.

Another teacher who participated in this event is social studies teacher Anne Sharkey. Sharkey is in her 10th year of participation as well.

“I had a friend in grade school that got cancer when we were pretty young and had a repeat in high school,” Sharkey said. “And then he passed away eventually when we were in our 30s.”

For Sharkey, this is personal, so she joined St. Baldrick’s to give back to people who are experiencing what she did.

Overall, this was a successful event giving back to the children who are suffering from cancer and advancing the research for a cure.