Head-shaving event raises $90K to honour 12-yr-old classmate who died of cancer

CALGARY – A record-breaking head shaving event raised nearly $90,000, with 118 kids and teachers at Bishop Pinkham Junior High School losing their locks in honour of a Calgary classmate.

Twelve-year-old Edyn Drever was diagnosed with brain cancer, but lost her heroic battle.

“The day school started, we were all excited because we thought, ‘Edyn is going to be here, Edyn is going to be here.’ And so when she didn’t show up on the first day of Grade 7, I knew something was wrong,” said friend Cole Pedersen.

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Her classmates and family members turned their grief into inspiration for the fundraising event.

“I just said, ‘OK, what would Edyn do right now?” said her mother, Kristyn Drever. “She just had this amazing wisdom about her.”

“We just have to stay in the moment, she was always in the moment,” said her father, Michael Drever.

Kids Cancer Foundation of Alberta spokesperson Gail Corbett said an anonymous donor has offered to match every dollar the students raise dollar for dollar up to $100,000. Corbett said donation pages would be open for a few months at kidscancercare.ab.ca.

As for Edyn’s friends, they hope their shaved heads will spread awareness to others who might want to donate.

“People are going to notice a 13-year-old kid bald…and they’re going to ask, ‘How can we help?'” said Cole.