Former president George H.W. Bush shaved his head on Tuesday in support of a two-year-old leukemia patient. The child in question, who is named Patrick, is the young son of a man on Bush’s secret service detail. Bush was introduced to the child’s fight against the illness by his secret service, since many of the members had shaved their heads to show support for Patrick. The members of the service also set up a website and motorcycle benefit to help raise money for Patrick’s operations, treatments, and other medical expenses. The press release yesterday said that Bush and his wife donated to the website’s fund before Bush decided to shave his head in solidarity.
The former presidential couple is not unfamiliar with the disease; they lost their second child to the disease nearly sixty years ago. The child, who they referred to as Robin, was diagnosed with the blood disease at four years old, shortly after the birth of her younger brother in 1953. Barbara Bush has spoken about the loss of her child many times, and it is clear that the cause holds a special place in her and her husband’s hearts.
Patrick’s prognosis is “good,” and with all the support being turned his way, things seem to be looking up for him. The Bush family has expressed their thankfulness for the advancement of Leukemia treatments over the years, and have donated to many causes fighting against childhood cases of the disease. Bush’s head shaving is just one act of kindness out of a plethora of others;
