Dad shaves head in ‘bittersweet’ memory of daughter

Scruffy Murphy’s hosted the 2019 St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s head shaving event, which benefits childhood cancer research.

Tommy Barron was one of the people who had their heads shaved outside of the Irish pub on Saturday. He is also the father of the child who was honored by the event, Peyton Barron.

Peyton died in 2017 after battling cancer. She and her father went to a St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s head-shaving event together before she died. Now, he continues the tradition as well as helping raise money for the foundation.

“For me it’s bittersweet,” Barron said of his participation in the event.

Joe Kelly, a resident physician at Hughston Clinic who was helping with the event, explained that his involvement was also personal.

“My sister had cancer, so that’s why I do it. And she survived because of the research,” Kelly said.

This story was originally published March 17, 2019 at 10:15 AM.