Shaved heads for cancer; UW-Whitewater students support cause

WHITEWATER, Wis. - A fraternity and sorority teamed up at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to raise money for children's cancer research.

A time when some college students might still be buzzing, Zach Limas is too.

"I was standing in front of my mirror, after I took a shower, and I stood there for like five minutes," Limas said. "I shed a tear."

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Since August, the UW-Whitewater freshman and member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity has grown out his hair to get rid of it.

"It's a weird feeling," he said.

The fraternity joined the Tri Sigma sorority almost a decade ago for the annual fundraiser benefiting the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

"It's just hair, and it's just more of what it represents. Like, we're standing in solidarity," said student Mason Cantwel.

The nonprofit then uses that money to help families pay for cancer treatment and to find a cure for childhood cancer.

"We love to come here, have fun, raise money for a great cause, hang out with the people that we love, and remember the people that we lost," said student Nolari Hingiss.

People like Andrew Derwinski, a New Berlin native and Whitewater alum, who lost his sister to cancer. In 2021, this community lost him to it, too.

Nick Miller was his fraternity brother.

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"He seemed to have sort of a rare level of empathy that you don't see out of most people," he said.

He's hoping that legacy carries on in the event he cared so much about.

"It was his thing. He shaved his head every year, until the year he passed," he said. "And we do this just because he was, he was an excellent person."

The event raised more than $16,000 and is still accepting contributions.