Teacher races Chemo!
And students, faculty, staff members and others packed Glenwood High School’s auditorium on Monday to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and show their support for longtime Glenwood English teacher Clark Blade.
Blade, diagnosed last month with follicular large cell lymphoma, said he didn’t want to wait for his hair to fall out from chemotherapy. Instead, he initiated a fundraiser to benefit the nonprofit foundation based in Austin, Texas, that supports cancer research, education, public health and advocacy. Monday, before school, Blade took center stage in the GHS auditorium, while students, faculty and others helped shave his head.
Site Owner: When I was diagnosed I was advised not to, just in case they could save it - needless to say they couldn’t and I ended up 14 days after finishing my first round of chemo - shaving the last few bits off that hadn’t come out in the shower!
Students were told that if they wanted, they could donate $1 each to come to the event. They donated more than $1,500, and another $338 was raised Monday. Blade himself wrote a check for $400.
“I believe so in the Armstrong foundation. We’ve collected about $2,200. Thank you all - kids, faculty, staff, friends and family,” Blade said.
Of his baldness, Blade said he had appreciated having a full head of hair that hadn’t yet turned gray.
“I’ve never seen myself bald. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just different,” he said.