Come Saturday morning, 9-year-old Mokena resident Lauren Peterson will be bald.

And she couldn't be happier.

The Mokena Intermediate School fourth-grader will be getting her head shaved at a St. Baldrick's Day event at Gatto's in New Lenox. The charity raises money for cancer research by getting volunteers to shave their heads.

"My friend did it last year. I didn't know about it until then and I thought it sounded cool," she said.

Donate to Lauren Peterson's St. Baldrick's Day fundraising efforts.

Lauren said she's doing it to honor a few family members who have faced or are facing cancer, but also for Mackenzie W., a Missouri girl who has battled and beat cancer three times.

Mackenzie, who is undergoing treatment for the fourth time, will be at Gatto's on Friday.

Lauren's mother Kirsten said her daughter's plans are brave, "especially for a young girl to do that."

"It's OK for boys to have short hair," Kirsten Peterson said, laughing.

Lauren originally wanted to raise $1,000 for the charity. As of Monday night, she had raised more than $1,300.

Now she's going for $2,000.

Lauren's not worried about the kids at school—no one teased her friend last year. She also ran her plans by her Mokena Burros cheer coach, who made a special cheer bow for the soon-to-be-hairless Lauren.

"My friend's going to be sad," Lauren said. "She loves doing my hair."

Donate to Lauren Peterson's St. Baldrick's Day fundraising efforts.

Lauren Peterson will be getting her head shaved at the same St. Baldrick's celebration where New Lenox Patch Editor Michael Sewall will be going bald.

Frankfort Patch Editor Joe Vince will be getting his head shaved at a St. Baldrick's event Sunday at Jameson's Pub in Frankfort.