9-Year-Old Raises $8K for St. Baldrick's in La Grange

Sadie Madden is a 9-year-old La Grange resident with long, curly red hair.

By the end of Thursday she'll be bald. 

After Sadie lost her grandmother to cancer a few years ago, she asked if she could participate in St. Baldrick's, an event where people get their heads shaved and raise money for childhood cancer research. 

The event, sponsored by Floyd's 99 Barbershop and Palmer Place, starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at Palmer's, 56 S. La Grange Road. At first her mother, Kasey, didn't sign her up for the event. But after Sadie said this, she understood: 

"You’re not taking me seriously. Don’t you get it? What’s me feeling a little goofy compared to a kid getting cancer," Sadie said. 

They set a goal of $500, and within hours they topped that. As of Wednesday night Sadie has raised more than $8,300, topping all other participants at tonight's event. 

"This kid has gone viral," Kasey Madden said. "Now we're getting donations from people we don't even know. This has been an exercise in remembering human kindness that's out there."

Sadie said Wednesday that she was a little nervous, but that all of the kids at school "have been really nice about it. They just thought it was awesome." 

"I kept worrying as the time got closer I thought she'd get scared, but she's not," her mom said. "She's just asking, 'Will we be eating there?'"

Sadie was a catalyst for change before she knew it. When she was 6 months old, her mom led a charge for breastfeeding rights after she was asked to move to a different area at a daycare. This is making her mom proud again.

"There’s such a jumble of emotions. It’s poignant, fun and sad," Kasey said. "St. Baldrick’s came up with a great way to make light about an extremely heavy subject." 

Donate to Sadie's St. Baldrick's page. 

Who else is getting their head shaved? 

A quick look at others who will be going under the razor tomorrow.

PATCH EDITOR MICHAEL SEWALL

That's right, look out for me in my Patch T-shirt as I celebrate my birthday and get my head shaved! Read more about it here. 

Donate to my St. Baldrick's page. 

MEGAN LEBAHN, FLOYD'S 99 STYLIST

She spends her days cutting other people's hair, and now she'll be getting all of her's cut off. She originally set her goal at $150 and has raised $1,130. 

"My boyfriend also has a shaved head so people are joking that we’re going to have the same hair style now," she said. "I ordered a whole bunch of headbands with flowers so I’ll still look cute when my hair is all gone."

Donate to Megan's St. Baldrick's page. 

BRIAN CRAMER, LOCAL FIREFIGHTER

Brian joins a team of other firefighters getting their heads shaved, but he's also bringing in his 8-year-old, Patrick, for a haircut. Brian has been growing out his hair for three months, as well as his mustache. So far he's raised $2,280, surpassing his $1,800 goal.

"I look like Nick Nolte’s mug shot," he said. "I’m about to go from Nick Nolte to Kojak. Everybody’s looking forwardto me cleaning up, including me, especially my mustache which is looking a little scary.

"When firemen show up at an event like this, people see us in a different light as opposed to an emergency. This event and our participation benefits the community. It’s about all of us helping other people. It’s a different kind of emergency call."

Donate to Brian's St. Baldrick's page. 

Get news alerts and Facebook updates from these Patch sites:

• La Grange/La Grange Park newsletter and La Grange Patch Facebook
• Western Springs newsletter and Western Springs Patch Facebook

Editor's note: Some of the quotations in this article were provided by Floyd's 99.