Sabrina Garza has never lived on Catalina, but members of her family have, and she spent much of her childhood visiting relatives and enjoying the island life. As a young girl she also took an interest in fighting childhood cancer.
Her father and brother joined a Baldrick’s Brave the Shave event to raise money when her cousin developed cancer at the age of two. With her parent’s permission, she volunteered many times and when she turned 18, she continued supporting the cause.
She even shaved her head at one event. She clipped off 12 inches for donation, and then took on the clippers. With enough experience, she took on more organizational experience and last year she brought the event to Catalina. Her hopes of raising $10,000 were dwarfed when the Catalina community lined up to raise more than $47,000 at the inaugural island event.
“I was overwhelmed by how much support we got last year,” Garza said.
Volunteers seek donations from friends and family for their willingness to Brave the Shave and take on the clippers for the cause. She noted that the stories of children affected by cancer have motivated her to keep coming back to the fight.
Those who inspired
Brayden Pedroza is a major reason this event was brought here. When Brayden was just 8 months old, he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. He fought for nearly two years, undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, a cell resection, two cell retrievals, 12 rounds of radiation, and four out of five rounds of immunotherapy. During his fourth round of immunotherapy, Brayden was hospitalized in the PICU and intubated for five days. Following that scare, his medical team decided not to complete the final round of immunotherapy. Today, Brayden is 3.5 years in remission and continues to inspire everyone around him with his strength, love, and energy.
We also honor Benjamin Montano. At just 3 years old, Benjamin was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. While he is currently in remission, he remains in active treatment and faces each step with remarkable bravery. Benjamin also battled lung failure due to pneumonia and was intubated for ten days. Despite everything he has endured, he remains a sweet, loving little boy and a true fighter.
In addition, we honor the memory of Dayannara “Daya.” Daya was diagnosed at age 11 with rhabdomyosarcoma, an extremely rare cancer. In her 11 years, Daya lived life fully and joyfully—loving her family and friends, making TikToks, dancing, singing, swimming, painting, the color yellow, and sunflowers. She passed away on Nov. 14, 2020, but her spirit continues to inspire this event and our community.
Last year’s event saw more than 60 brave volunteers shave their heads in support of childhood cancer research. “With that momentum, we’re excited about what this year’s event can bring,” Garza said.
For more on the event, visit stbaldricks.org/events/avalon2026, or the Baldrick’s Foundation visit stbaldricks.org.
