Episode Summary:
• A powerful Podcasthon spotlight on childhood cancer research, as Casie shares her 16‑year journey with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — from photographing her first event to shaving her head nine times and leading Team Live Out Loud to raise nearly $200K through mostly small‑dollar donations.
• A clear, accessible breakdown of why pediatric cancer funding is urgently needed, explaining the 4% federal funding gap, the 27 biologically distinct childhood cancers, and why kids are still treated with adult chemotherapy — plus Casie’s advocacy work on Capitol Hill pushing for stronger nationwide research support.
• A heartfelt call to action for listeners to join the mission, offering ways to donate, amplify awareness, support Podcasthon’s global charity movement, and contact representatives — all while celebrating the community, hope, and purpose behind Casie’s annual head shave and Team Live Out Loud’s evolving future.
Fighting Kid’s Cancer with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
It’s that time of year again! If you’ve known Casie for longer than 10 seconds, you’ve probably heard how she’s been going BALD every March to raise funds for children’s cancer research with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
2026 is Casie’s 16th year volunteering with the foundation, where she started capturing the events back in 2011 as a photographer.
This year, we’re honored to share that story as part of Podcasthon, the first global charity movement uniting podcasters to spotlight causes that matter to them. For us, the second we learned of this movement — there was no question on what our episode would be about.
Why Funding Research Matters
We kick the episode off with the familiar mix of humor and heart that defines this show. Casie jokes about finally getting her hair back to purple only to shave it off— but beneath the laughter is a story of commitment, community, and the kind of hope that requires action.
St. Baldrick’s is one of the largest funders of childhood cancer research in the world. As Casie explains, “children’s cancer is really not as rare as many people think it is… and the funding for it is painfully low.”
With only 4% of the US Government funding being budgeted for pediatric cancer research, that is why the world needs organizations like the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — to fill in the gap.
That gap is where everyday people—parents, friends, strangers, and, yes, podcasters—step in.
How Casie Got Started with St. Baldrick’s
Sixteen years ago, Casie was a wee, bebe photographer who agreed to shoot a St. Baldrick’s event because it sounded fun, meaningful, and full of first responders—something close to her heart. She watched two women shave their heads that day and thought, “I could do that.”
She didn’t shave that first year. But she came back in 2012 and made a promise — she’d go bald one day too. But they had to wait until the event after she was married!
In 2013, she came back again. This time, with a team in memory of her sister, Kellie — Team Live Out Loud was born.
In 2017, Sean proposed, and the rest, as they say, is history.
By 2018, Get Married, Go Bald was ON! And just two days after Sean and Casie were married—19 inches of purple hair was gone in minutes. She raised $26,000 that year alone. And when a friend asked, “What’s next?” — she knew immediately that they’d be back the following year to do it all again.,
Since then, Team Live Out Loud has raised nearly $200,000 for childhood cancer research. (We’re less than $1,000 away from that milestone!)
And here’s the part that always surprises people: most of that money came from small donations. “I think like 90% of it was $100 and under… an overwhelming majority under $50.”
Why This Work Is Still Urgent
One of the most powerful parts of the episode is Casie’s explanation of why this fight is so critical.
Children aren’t just “small adults.” Their cancers are biologically different—27 types, each requiring its own research. Yet only 4% of NIH cancer funding goes toward pediatric cancers. “4% is tragically low…and if it’s any lower than that, it’s completely unacceptable.”
Because pediatric‑specific treatments often don’t exist, kids are frequently treated with adult chemotherapy and radiation—which often leads to secondary issues and cancers. “You would not walk into store and buy your child the ADULT form of a medication — but that’s essentially what many parents are face with after their child is diagnosed with cancer because that’s all there is.”
This is why funding research matters. When we fund research, we’re providing the opportunity to find better, safer, more specific treatments for these kids — giving them healthier, longer lives.
And this is why Casie has even taken her fight to Congress as part of Action Days (that actually took place in February this year) —meeting with lawmakers to push for further nationwide funding and stronger policy support for pediatric cancer research.
From showing up to photograph one event to going bald, taking that to DC, and raising $200k — safe to say we’ve got a full fledged advocate on our hands here. 🙃
What’s Next for Casie—and for Team Live Out Loud
This year marks Casie’s 9th head shave, and her dad and Sean’s 13th shave. It also marks a transition.
After this shave, the team is taking a break from the clippers. BUT! Not from the mission. It just might look different than you’re used to.
Casie will continue fundraising (her link will ALWAYS be live and ready to receive your donations), advocating, and amplifying the stories that matter. She’ll continue pushing for policy change, and she’ll continue showing up for kids and families who don’t get to take a break.
And while you might be thinking she probably wants to grow her hair out? She actually wants to keep the buzz cut for a while. True to her nature, you’ll likely never catch her with long hair ever again. 🤣
How You Can Help Team Live Out Loud
Podcasthon is about collective impact—hundreds of podcasters using their platforms to lift up causes that deserve attention. And we hope this did that for YOU! If you’re ready to help us fund children’s cancer research or raise further awareness, here’s how:
Donate to Casie’s fundraising efforts here:
You can also:
• Share this episode throughout your networks to spread awareness
• Learn more about Podcasthon and discover other creators doing good
• Call your representatives and advocate for pediatric cancer research funding:
202-224-3121
5 Calls is a great resource for finding topics important to you and quickly calling your representatives. Set your location, get the right numbers, and use the in app prompts. Takes less than a few minutes and makes a huge impact! Apple App | Android App
Every dollar matters. Every share matters. Every voice matters.
👩🏼🦲 Let’s do some great things for kid’s battling cancer!
PS: The word we couldn’t think of was SABBATICAL. 🤣
🌲 Connect with Amber on Threads, Substack, or LinkedIn — you can also check out her pup @JoJotheKeeshond.
🌴 Catch Casie on Threads, Substack, or LinkedIn — you can also check out her pups @PawsitivePointers.
