Funshave is back and blue

Students and staff may be going bald or blue next week for charity. The Make-A-Wish Foundation along with students at Fanshawe, are teaming up for a great cause; to grant wishes for children presently living with life-threatening illnesses.

The Go Blue! Go Bald! Event will have participants shave or dye their locks to raise money to help make a children's world much more special.

The hair shaving and dying takes place on February 18 in Forwell Hall between 12 and 2:30 pm.

“Participants willing to go bald for the Make-A-Wish Foundation can dye their hair blue in the weeks leading up to the event, to show the community that they are part of the Go Blue! Go Bald! Head shave,” said Barbara Ferguson, a Corporate Communications and Public Relations graduate certificate program student at Fanshawe College and Make-A-Wish Intern.

Those willing to lose their blue hair are asked to raise funds through pledges, which will all go towards the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwestern Ontario. This being the third year of the event, the foundation hopes to raise $200,000.

The Make-A-Wish foundation provides hope for severely ill children and their families through organized events. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Western Ontario grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy,” Ferguson said.

Every wish by a child is special.

According to Ferguson, children's wishes are varied, but usually fall into one of four categories; I wish to have, I wish to go, I wish to meet, or I wish to be.

Each wish is unique, and the entire family is included in the wish experience. Since its inception in 1986, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southwestern Ontario has granted over 700 wishes in 15 surrounding counties.

Making children's wishes a reality for Make-A-Wish is a stepping-stone in the right direction for 2009.

According to Ferguson, in 2008, 89 wishes were granted to deserving children making it a 93 per cent increase from 2006.

In 2009, the Make-A-Wish foundation has granted nine wishes so far with 70 wishes currently in progress, Ferguson said.

The Fringe at Fanshawe College will lend a helping hand again this year, by providing stylists to do the head shaving at the event.

If you or someone you know is able to help assist Make-A-Wish by providing a critically ill child's wish granted, please visit www.makeawish.ca/gobluegobald on ways you can help make a child smile.