When Anne Smith met the Morrison family at First United Methodist Church of Dallas, she didn’t know the meeting would change her life forever.

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In 2005, the Smith and Morrison families presented their newborns to the congregation during infant recognition Sunday, a celebration of babies born the previous year. The families were lined up in chronological order of their infants’ dates of birth.

“We stood next to the Morrisons because my son, Noah, is one day older than their son, Keegan,” Smith says. “Right after the service, Keegan’s mother took him for his 4-month checkup. The doctors found that his head circumference had grown unusually large and sent him to Children’s Medical Center for an MRI.”

The tests revealed Keegan had a brain tumor. After a major operation and months of chemotherapy, his health continued to decline.

“I visited Keegan at home four days before he died,” Smith says. “I got to hold him for about 20 minutes, and he was just this warm little bundle of love. It’s those short minutes that changed my faith.

“As I held him, I realized I wasn’t hot, cold, thirsty or hungry. It’s the first time I had some sort of proof that there really was a heaven. My arms didn’t want to let go of him and that peaceful feeling. I’ll never forget that. What a gift from God he was.”

Before Keegan passed away, Smith worked with the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation of the Southwest and the Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA to raise money for a clinical study for the infant. While the groups raised hundreds of dollars at the time, the foundation disbanded shortly after.

“My husband and I were looking for other organizations with the same idea to join,” Smith says. “We heard Keegan’s parents, Jaimie and Kathy, had become involved with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.”

Each year, thousands take part in the organization’s fundraising event in which volunteers shave their heads for children with cancer, while requesting support and donations. The organization’s fundraising goal this year is $175,000, and its next event is Saturday, March 29, at Trinity Hall in Mockingbird Station, Mockingbird and Central Expressway.

Smith says Jaimie and his mother-in-law shaved their heads for the event last spring.

“It’s just a really great organization to be involved with,” Jaimie says. “It’s very moving to see so many people lending their time and support to such a worthy cause. We have so much fun, and it’s a great thing to be a part of.”

Jaimie says his team has expanded since last year, and he hopes the growth continues. Because of the increase in volunteers, next month’s event is expected to last two hours longer than last year’s.        

“We went to the event last year, and I was so inspired,” Smith says. “This year, I decided to shave my head. My red hair has always been my best feature, and I would never have thought of shaving it off had it not been for Keegan.”