MSU alumna shaves her head to raise awareness

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Monica Fochtman probably won’t need to make a trip to the hair stylist for quite some time.

Fochtman — an Okemos resident and former MSU graduate student who now works at Madonna University in Livonia, Mich. — joined more than 40 other women from a national group in Washington, D.C., this weekend to raise awareness for pediatric cancer by shaving her head.

Fochtman’s peers, the 46 Mommas, — one for the number of children diagnosed with cancer every day in the U.S. — raised thousands of dollars toward their cause during a public event last Wednesday at Union Station in Washington, D.C.

Fochtman said the trip was an important reminder of the road her family has traveled.

Her son, Luke, was diagnosed at age 4 in December 2008 with stage IV embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of pediatric cancer which attacks muscles that are attached to bones.

Following a year of chemotherapy, doctors declared Luke cancer free in October 2009.

Luke had his first day of kindergarten this fall.

Luke, who cut part of his mom’s hair during the event, said he’s happy with his mom’s new haircut and her decision to help others by increasing awareness.

“It feels really smooth on the top of her head,” he said.

Sean Fochtman, Monica’s husband and an adviser with the MSU College of Engineering, said Luke and his brother, Connor, still are too young to realize what their mom has done for them.

“I don’t think they’ll really grasp the concept for several years, until they can really look back,” he said.

Monica Fochtman said the news of Luke’s cancer-free diagnosis brought gratitude and relief, but also sadness and a determination to get involved on the ground in the fight against pediatric cancer.

“Not everyone gets the news that we get or we got,” she said. “(About) seven children die every day from childhood cancer … I feel even more compelled to raise awareness.”

Monica and the rest of the 46 Mommas got what she called “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” standing on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Friday as a group of congressmen led by U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, introduced improved pediatric cancer legislation.

The Creating Hope Act, if passed, would provide incentives for pharmaceutical companies who prioritize pediatric cancer research by giving them a priority voucher to ramp up the drug research.
Right now, Monica Fochtman said the pool of children with cancer is small, making support from companies who work with pediatric cancer drugs important.

“It puts them to the front of the line,” Monica Fochtman said.

Monica Fochtman also met with assistants in the office of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., during the trip.

Stabenow’s passion about health issues will be important as pediatric cancer discussions pop up in the future, Monica Fochtman said.

Sean Fochtman said he fully supports his wife’s efforts to tackle a tough subject.

“I think just childhood cancer is not a fun subject to talk about,” he said. “People don’t want to think about kids going through … radiation and chemotherapy.”

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