04 Jul 2018
At DSTA’s 8th Hair for Hope satellite event on 4 July 2018, 26 volunteers took the bold step of going bald to raise funds in support of children with cancer.
Hair for Hope is the Children’s Cancer Foundation’s annual community outreach event that aims to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. DSTA has been organising this iconic event on its premises since 2011, with its staff coming together to raise funds as well as shave their heads in solidarity with the children and their families.
Kicking off the event, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) Hor Gar Yin commended the volunteers for their support, with 17 of them returning as repeat shavees while nine were new. Notably, Principal Systems Architect (National Engineering) Ho Mun Chuen and Project Manager (Advanced Systems) Thomas Sim are not just DSTA’s pioneer shavees but have also participated every year since 2011 as part of their commitment toward giving back to society.
For some DSTA volunteers, the event was more personal.
“I was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2015 and underwent chemotherapy. But I survived it, and it is now my mission to tell fellow patients that there is hope,” shared Principal Engineer (National Security) Josiah Lau who shed his locks for the first time.
Taking part in Hair for Hope was also something close to heart for Senior Engineer (Building and Infrastructure) Tay Yuh Sheng. He added: “As a new father, I can understand how much it hurts to see your own children suffer from illnesses. I hope by doing this small act, I can contribute and make a difference to the lives of the children who have cancer.”
Senior Engineer (Cybersecurity) Donavan Cheah who was a second-time participant said: “I believe that life should always be treasured to the fullest. But there are people around us who have to fight for the right to live a healthy life. I hope to raise awareness of childhood cancer and the struggles involved.”
In addition to the satellite event, DSTA staff have also shown their support through generous donations and the purchase of event merchandise.