The Catskill Chronicle

ELDRED, NY (February 23, 2012) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is the largest volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research.

To coincide with one of St. Baldrick’s busiest months of signature head-shaving events, Xbox LIVE gamers are  encouraged to shave their Avatar’s head bald between now and March 31.

The virtual shave is a public way to honor the many kids who typically lose their hair during cancer treatments and bring attention to the startling reality that worldwide more than 160,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer each year – and one in five of those kids in the US will not survive.

The Avatar head-shaving campaign, which is in its second year, is a creative concept from long-time St. Baldrick’s supporter Lou Monteleone from Eldred, NY.

Monteleone, a St. Baldrick’s volunteer event organizer and shavee, is challenging his fellow gamers to show their support and recruit fellow gamers to get bald for the cause.

Given the fact that there are more than 30 million Xbox LIVE subscribers, a legion of bald Avatars would make a bold statement against the number one disease killer of children in the US

After their virtual shave, Xbox LIVE users are encouraged to Like the Xbox LIVE Avatar Head-Shaving Day Facebook page and share a photo of their bald Avatar and why they support childhood cancer research. For gamers looking for other ways to get involved and support the cause, or maybe even looking to shave their “real” head, they can visit the St. Baldrick’s website at www.stbaldricks.org/teams/gamers.

Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005, it has committed more than $78 million in research grants.

For more information, please check out the X-Box Live Avatar Head-shaving to Support St. Baldrick’s Foundation Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ShaveAvatar.