While Madelyn was in high school she was also taking care of her mother who was dying of cancer. She would spend hours simply sitting with her mom in order to treasure what she knew she soon would no longer have. She was by her mother’s side right to her dying day. She loved her mother dearly and her mother’s death was extremely difficult.

It was wonderful that Madelyn was a student who was well loved and she had a great circle of friends. However, Madelyn was the type of person that no matter what she is going through, her focus is always on the other person. I remember going to the funeral home and instead of me consoling Madelyn in her time of sadness, she was consoling me. She would say things like, “it is okay Miss”, and “don’t worry I will be okay”.

In the following school year Madelyn came to me and asked if we could organize a head shaving drive for cancer. I told her that we could do this. She took a leadership role in this campaign. She not only spearheaded the organization, she and a few of her friends, all agreed to have their heads shaved. This was a difficult act that took great courage as these were all young girls who were in an environment that was very conscious of fashion and appearance. The only request they made was that we held the event early enough that they would have at least some hair by the time graduation came around.

The head shaving campaign was a great success and over $15,000 was raised.  Madelyn got up and gave a talk at the event that was extremely moving. She had the crowd in tears. Following this the heads were shaved. The interesting thing was that all the kids looked absolutely beautiful even with their bald heads.

Madelyn, bald is beautiful, especially on you!