After leukemia treatments robbed Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano of his hair, Colts players banded together and shaved their heads in solidarity.
That act unleashed a wave of support in the broader Colts community, where, empowered to make a difference and united by social media, fans also began to shed their hair. But it didn't stop there.
Just when the momentum seemed to fade, "Blue," the Colts mascot, loosed a daring tweet. If Blue could raise $10,000 for leukemia research, he pondered, would one of the team's cheerleaders volunteer to shave her head as well?
Amazingly, a reply from Colts cheerleader Megan M. took only 45 minutes. "Count me in," she responded:
A somewhat incredulous Blue immediately tweeted back:
According to Megan's cheerleader bio, one of her favorite parts of Indianapolis is the city-wide team spirit. Megan, whose full name was not given by the team, writes, "I love the camaraderie of the city when we all join together to support the Colts." And judging by her head-shaving pledge, those aren't just empty words.
If Blue succeeds in raising the $10,000 by November 25, Megan's hair will meet its end that day, during the Colts vs Bills game. "Everyone knows someone who's been affected by cancer. I've had close friends who've passed away because of it, family members... and we've even had a couple girls on our squad who lost their father to cancer," Megan explains in "Operation: Shave Megan's Head," a video posted to the Colts website.
"So knowing that I [can be a source of] strength and inspiration for someone going through this -- a young girl at Riley Hospital who doesn't think she's beautiful because she doesn't have hair... I want to raise money to eradicate the disease, and that's really what it's all about."
Those interested in donating to help Blue reach his $10,000 goal can donate online via a #ChuckStrong page on the Colts website.
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