​Woodstock High School students screamed with delight as Principal Bill Hogan had his head and beard shaved in front of the entire student body on Dec. 3. The students exceeded his challenge to raise funds $1,500 for lung cancer awareness and research, bringing in over $4,000 in donations. It only took a few minutes for local hair stylist Mary Ann Walker to do the honours.

"This is because of your work," Hogan told the students. "You worked phenomenally to raise this amount of money."

November is Lung Cancer Awareness​ Month. Hogan issued the challenge at a school assembly earlier in the fall, telling the students he would shave his head and beard and do the "baby shark dance" if they could raise the funds. Hogan's wife, Heather, a member of the  ASD-W District Education Council, has been a lung cancer survivor since 2012 and sat in the audience taking photos of her husband's celebrated hair appointment. 

The Hogans have been working to raise awareness about lung cancer in partnership with Lung Cancer Canada, Dalhousie University, UNB Saint John, and Lungevity in the United States. They want the public to know you don't have to be a smoker to get lung cancer and hope to reduce the stigma attached to the disease. Lung cancer remains one of the leading cancers diagnosed in Canada with one in 12 Canadians expected to develop the disease in their lifetime.

The Dec. 3 event was held as part of a school wide pep rally with Vice-Principals Derrick O'Leary and Nicole Giberson joining Hogan in costume to do the "baby shark dance."  Several other school activities took place throughout the afternoon.

Shown in the photos below are (1) & (2) WHS Principal Bill Hogan gets his head and beard shaved by local hairstylist Mary Ann Walker; (3) Vice-principal Derrick O'Leary, Principal Bill Hogan, and Vice-Principal Nicole Giberson do the "baby shark dance" in costume as part of the school fundraiser for lung cancer awareness and research.