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By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, June 11: Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS) held its first GoBald main shave event for the year in Miri today.
Held at Permaisuri Imperial City Mall, the event successfully raised more than RM420,000 in funds with a total of 74 heads shaved, out of which 18 were women.
Today’s event marked GoBald’s first physical main shaving event since the annual fundraising campaign went virtual in 2020, with the second main shaving event happening in Kuching at Vivacity Megamall on June 18.
“This year, we saw an opportunity for us to bring back physical events after holding it virtually for three years consecutively. Although we have seen great success in our virtual campaigns, participants are eager to come together and shave in solidarity for this meaningful cause in front of their friends and families. We are also keeping the option open for those who want to shave at a salon or at home,” said SCCS president Rodney Wong.
“It has been 14 years since we launched our very first GoBald campaign in 2009, but it remains strong as one of SCCS’s main funding streams to keep our essential services going. The supportive community that we have built over the years lays the foundation to our success and ensures its sustainability. GoBald has evolved from a mere fundraising campaign to an initiative that embodies our collective efforts in progressing greater access of care for children battling cancer in Sarawak,” he added.
Since it was launched in March, GoBald 2023 has recorded a steady increase of sign-ups with a quicker surge in fundraising in comparison to last year.
Among those who got their heads shaved today was Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I (Tourism) Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew.
This was Ting’s third time participating in the GoBald campaign. He raised RM226,478 in donations and expressed his hope it would be of help to SCCS.
Datuk Lorna Chan, the wife of former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan, was given the honour of shaving Ting’s hair off at the event.
So far, about 120 participants across Malaysia have registered for GoBald this year, raising about RM366,000 from more than 1,600 donors.
Wong also shared that the 2023 campaign is seeing a higher number of effective fundraisers, with 15 participants raising more than RM5,000 each.
Out of the 15 fundraisers, six individuals have successfully raised over RM10,000, including SCCS’ immediate past president Jocelyn Hee who has raised more than RM83,000.
The funds raised will support SCCS’s annual operating expenses of about RM2 million to ensure Sarawak children with cancer continue to have access to the treatment and services they need to get better.
SCCS targets to raise a total of RM1 million from GoBald this year.
“Every year, we support about 150 to 200 childhood cancer families in Sarawak by providing financial support, sponsoring necessary medical consumables and transplants, providing rural families under active treatment with accommodation, food and transportation at our Kuching halfway home amongst others. As a non-profit organisation, we need to be consistent and continuous in building awareness of childhood cancer to draw in the needed donations. This is why GoBald is held annually,” Wong elaborated.
The event’s partners and sponsors including venue sponsor Permaisuri Imperial City Mall; salon partners Paul and Jennifer Hair & Beauty Salon and Fion Hair Studio; and event partners DK Photography and Village Sound. The campaign is also supported by Era Sarawak, MY Sarawak and HITZ Sarawak, which were also present at the event.
SCCS’s final GoBald main shave event will take place in Kuching on 18 June at Vivacity Megamall.
Kuching participants who have raised a minimum of RM300 can now book their shave timeslots via their fundraising profiles. — DayakDaily
