They're the five little faces I still see every spring when it's time for the clippers to annihilate the hair atop my scalp.
Their accounts motivate me to raise money each year in the battle against childhood cancer. Today, I'm asking you to take in and consider their stories.
Then I hope their real-life narratives motivate all who are financially able to donate to the Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids Foundation, which provides crucial support for Region families whose children are entangled in these desperate fights for survival.
All five of the children profiled in today's column are the kids in whose names or memories I've shaved in years past to raise money for childhood cancer research. Generous Times readers have always come through, ensuring my annual head shave is one of the most expensive haircuts on record.