Bald and dutiful in Indianapolis

Bald is still beautiful. Just ask Demi Moore and Natalie Portman, or, more recently, two Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders.

Crystal Ann and Megan M. on Sunday joined more than two dozen Colts players who shaved their heads earlier this month in support of Colts Coach Chuck Pagano, who was diagnosed with leukemia in September.

The extreme cuts were part of a fundraising effort for leukemia research, and were the end result of a challenge issued by the team’s big blue horse mascot: If one Colts cheerleader could raise $10,000 for leukemia research by Nov. 25, she’d get her head shaved.

Megan and Crystal raised more than $22,000, and sat down for the buzz cuts Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Blue wielded the clippers himself (although one has to wonder how he managed it with hooves).

“I’ve just had personal experiences with people who have had cancer,” Megan told Daniel Miller of WISH-TV in Indianapolis. “I’ve had mentors and family members and volunteer at Riley and met little girls who have lost their hair and beat cancer multiple times. Just seeing struggles they went through and how they could overcome that and still have confidence and fight this fight without their hair. They are really my inspiration for doing this.”

According to Miller, over the past two weeks, Great Clips locations have given fans the opportunity to shave their heads. For each fan who stepped up, Great Clips donated $10 to Blue’s ChuckStrong Challenge. About 800 fans shaved their heads.

To date, more that $250,000 has been raised for leukemia research in Pagano’s honor.

AP/DARRON CUMMINGS Indianapolis Colts cheerleader Crystal Ann has her head shaved by Blue, the Colts mascot, during the second half of Sunday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Buffalo Bills in Indianapolis.