test for mapping

On Saturday, Scott Swimmer and his sons Mason and Tobias will get haircuts.

That may seem routine, but their long locks will be shorn as veteran Charlotte musician Randy Franklin and his band play Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Almost Cut My Hair.” The hair-cutting ceremony is part of the 10th annual DrumStrong – a festival centered on a drum circle marathon that raises funds and awareness for cancer research, much like a walk-a-thon.

Swimmer’s son Mason was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2004. When his dad offered to cut his hair, Mason protested.

“When Mason was going through it and was bald, I decided to shave my head and he said, ‘Don’t you dare!’ ” remembers Swimmer. Mason wanted things to stay as normal as possible.

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The Swimmers started DrumStrong in 2007, to bring together survivors and those affected by cancer. In the years since then, it’s sprouted fundraising events worldwide, with DrumStrongs from Tokyo to Dusseldorf broadcast on the web.

“The webcast can be picked up in a hospital in Kazakhstan,” says Swimmer, adding that it’s something that patients can physically participate in. “Many have witnessed the runs and walks and cycling, and that’s good for those who can run and walk – but this is a totally participatory event.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article78667937.html#storylink=cpy

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 3:34 PM with the headline "test for mapping."