Thomas’s shaved locks go to children with cancer
Twelve-year-old Thomas Joe had his first haircut in 30 months this past week, with his 24-inch locks to be donated and made into wigs for children with cancer.
Thomas, who is in Grade 6 at St. Patrick’s Elementary school, purposely held off on cutting his hair since October 2019.
He had his hair cut at a ceremony at the school on Wednesday.
Thomas also started a personal appeal page on the B.C. Cancer Foundation site. By Wednesday, donations had exceeded his $10,000 fundraising goal.
“All four of my grandparents were lost to cancer and a student in my school died of cancer at the age of six,” says Thomas’s appeal page. “I know that my efforts and the amount of money I raise won’t cure cancer. But I hope that others will see what I’m doing and do the same.
“Hopefully, together, we can make a difference so that the children generations after mine won’t lose loved ones the same way I have.”
Thomas is the son of real estate agent Tony Joe and Susan Froher, who are “absolutely proud” of their son’s initiative, which, they said, he came up with on his own.
“After he told us of his intention, all I suggested was that he think larger than his initial $800 goal,” Tony Joe said.
“I think he is actually looking forward to being bald. I told him that people are going to ask him: ‘What’s this all about?’ and that will invite a conversation about why he is doing it and the work of the B.C. Cancer Foundation.”
Thomas got his head shaved by Burt Hill, owner of Burt’s Barbershop in Oak Bay.
The hair will be donated to Wigs for Kids B.C., a program that provides free custom-fitted human-hair wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other illnesses. Each wig costs roughly $600 to $700 to make. The grassroots program accepts hair that is at least 10 inches long and sent within three months of its cut date. Hair should not be dyed, permed or chemically treated. It should be tied at the top and not braided.
Citizen-science volunteers are needed to take part in the B.C. Annual Bat Count in June.
The program, hosted by the B.C. Community Bat Program, encourages residents to count bats at local roost sites.
B.C. bats, including the little brown myotis, are returning to their summer roost sites in buildings and bat boxes. All bats are an essential part of the ecosystem, consuming many insect pests each night.
“The counts are a wonderful way for people to get outside, learn about bats and be involved in collecting important scientific information,” said Danielle Buckle, co-ordinator of the South Island Community Bat Program.
Volunteers wait outside a known roost site — such as a bat box, barn or attic — and count bats as they fly out at twilight. A guano sample can also be sent in to identify the species.
The data helps biologists understand bat distribution and monitor for the effects of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that is fatal for bats but not for other animals or humans.
The B.C. Community Bat Program is funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. and the Habitat Stewardship Program, with support from the B.C. Conservation Foundation and the province of B.C.
• To volunteer, go to bcbats.ca/get-involved/counting-bats.