For Matthew, supporting St. Baldrick’s is more than a tradition — it’s a way to carry on a legacy.
It started with one of his dad’s close friends, who organized St. Baldrick’s events and brought people together to shave their heads and stand in solidarity with kids fighting cancer. After that friend passed away following his own battle, continuing the mission became personal. What began alongside his brother quickly turned into a lasting commitment.
“It’s never really crossed my mind to stop,” Matthew says. “It’s just such a good cause.”
Each year, his community continues to show up – and what started as a small circle of support has grown into something much bigger.
Growing Into the Role
Matthew’s first head shave happened in middle school — and like many firsts, it came with uncertainty.
He didn’t know how to fundraise, or how to talk to people about something as heavy as childhood cancer. Back then, most of his support came from family, teachers, and family friends — people who already knew him.
But as he grew, so did his reach.
Now a high school senior, Matthew’s watched his network expand in ways he never imagined. Classmates, acquaintances, even people he barely knows have stepped up to support him.
“Even if you don’t know someone well, people still want to help,” he says.
And being known as “the guy who shaves his head every year”? He doesn’t mind it at all.
Matthew shared people love seeing crazy stuff so he rocked an all pink outfit, complete with a pink colored head, to drum up engagement.
Switching It Up: The Backpack Challenge
This year, Matthew added a new element to his efforts: the Send Kids’ Cancer Packing™ backpack challenge.
Shaving his head had become a powerful tradition — but he wanted to push himself further, to bring a new level of energy and attention to his fundraising. That’s when he discovered the St. Baldrick’s
backpack challenge, inspired by the recent breakthrough in research for kids with B-cell ALL.
Matthew committed to walking 28 miles with a bright green St. Baldrick’s backpack to raise awareness and funds for kids’ cancer research.
The impact was immediate.
The visual alone sparked conversations — and those conversations turned into support.
“This year, I’ve had the most people donate — and raised the most I ever have.”
There’s something about seeing someone commit to walking 28 miles that resonates. It’s tangible. It’s visible. It makes people stop and think: if he’s willing to do that, I can at least donate.
Finding Strength at Mile 25
The walk wasn’t easy.
By the time Matthew reached mile 25, exhaustion had set in and the wind was relentless. But one thought kept him going:
“If kids can go through cancer and be that strong, I can keep going.”
So he did.
With three miles left, a friend drove by and to cheer him on — a small moment that gave Matthew a huge boost. Then, in the final stretch, his mom joined him for the last half mile while his dad documented the moment on video.
More Than a Fundraiser – A Mission
For years, shaving his head was the defining moment of his fundraising — powerful, symbolic, and deeply personal.
But the backpack challenge added something new.
“When you’re just shaving your head, that’s it,” Matthew says. “But walking 28 miles — that shows a different level of dedication.”
Moments That Stay With You
His very first shave didn’t go as planned. It was supposed to be a big, in-person event with friends — but it happened right as the pandemic took place. Instead, he shaved his head over FaceTime, surrounded virtually by family.
“It turned into this whole virtual community moment,” Matthew says. “And it was still really special.”
In recent years, he’s livestreamed his shave on Instagram so friends and supporters can join from anywhere — another way his community continues to grow.
Why It Matters
When Matthew talks to people about St. Baldrick’s, there’s one idea he always comes back to:
Childhood should be something you look back on with joy.
“It’s a time everyone cherishes,” Matthew says. “But for kids with cancer, so much of that gets taken away.”
That’s what drives him — the belief that kids shouldn’t have to spend their childhood in hospitals, fighting for their lives.
And that doing something — even something as simple as shaving your head or supporting a fundraiser — can help change that.
As he heads into whatever comes next after high school, one thing is certain:
He’s not done yet.
