WKBT La Crosse, WI-NewsChannel 8-Students Shave Heads for Classmate

Reported by Cynthia Schweigert

Students Shave Heads for Classmate

Reported by Cynthia Schweigert
Email: cschweigert@wkbt.com
Blog: http://cynthia.blogs.wkbt.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CynthiaWKBT

Most families never expect to watch their child go through cancer, but when a tragedy like that happens, sometimes they find an extended family they didn't think they had.

As the 6th graders filed into Gundersen Lutheran, Shai Shay laid in her bed in the Intensive Care Unit.

Shai has a rare form of cancer, and can't risk getting germs. So she talked to her classmates by video conference and although they couldn't be in the same room, her friends made sure Shai knew exactly where she belonged.

"You belong here with us Shai," said Carter Hubka, Shai's classmate.

Shai was diagnosed with Undifferentiated Sarcoma at the end of September. She just finished her first round of chemotherapy, and is about to start her second.

Her mom says, there's was one thing Shai didn't want to let go.

"For a girl...having to lose her hair? Trying to hold onto the only last thing she could, everything else she kind of had control over, that was the one last thing she kinda did," said Tami Linne, Shai's mom.

Tonight her classmates came to help her through it by shaving their heads.

One person's sacrifice, was especially meaningful."

"I shaved my head because my best friend has cancer," said Clarissa Jevne.

The support from her friends, helped give Shai the strength to shave her own head.

"It meant everything, it left a smile on her face, and there I was thinking she'd have her head shaved and be crying through the whole thing and she didn't cry once," said Shai's mom.

"It'll make her feel better that us as a class did it because then she won't feel any different," said Hubka.

"I just can't believe all these kids showed up. They showed up for cancer, they don't have it and they act like they did," Shai's mom said.

While the kids said "it's only hair"...really, it's so much more.

Shai's classmates are holding a benefit for her on November 21st at North Winneshiek Gym. From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. is a Free Will Donation Lunch. Then starting at 1:00 p.m. is a live autcion.