COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Rampart High School's 19th annual Bald 4 Bucks fundraiser drew more than half a dozen other District 20 schools to a massive assembly to raise money for cancer research — but this year, one seat was empty.
Cora Fogle, a senior at Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, was selected as this year's hero child. She passed away in December while battling leukemia, before the fundraiser she had helped plan could take place. She remained the centerpiece of the event. Her T-shirt design — "Stomping On Cancer" — inspired the shirts many wore during the week to honor her and raise awareness for anyone battling cancer.
Her father, John, and friends shared her story at the assembly on Thursday.
"She just noticed the small things — the things that hurt, the things that maybe were neglected — and she cared about them," John said of his late daughter.
Cora had helped plan the assembly herself. Her love of dinosaurs and the color teal (her favorite color was cyan) were showcased throughout the gym.
"Cora wanted awareness — not just that cancer exists, but everything that it entails," John added. "She wanted others to know what else was going on and how difficult this really was — on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour basis."
Ella Harrison, Cora's friend and Rampart student body president, honored her memory by cutting off 8 inches of her own hair.
"She cared so deeply about other people that even when she was going through so much on her own, she was always asking how you were doing and was always checking in on you," Harrison said in a gym decorated with dinosaurs and teal accents.. "I think that it really shows that there is a piece of her still in Rampart and there always will be."
Another friend Cora made was Sophia McGowan, a sophomore at Air Academy High School who is also battling leukemia. McGowan met Cora while undergoing treatment and joined dozens of others going bald for the fundraiser, continuing Cora's mission of raising awareness.
McGowan explained she was diagnosed in June 2025 with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
"I've been fighting the battle," McGowan said minutes after getting her head shaved, with tears still running down her cheeks. "We're doing great. I met Cora in October or November of 2025... she means so much to me and it meant so much that I got to be here today and shave my head and all over."
McGowan is undergoing intensive treatment. She laughed, saying that without her hair, it would be easier to wear a helmet while doing one of the things she loves, riding motorcycles.
More than $50,000 was raised at the event before the assembly even started. The goal is to raise more than $67,000 this year for Blood Cancer United, an organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer worldwide. The fundraiser has raised more than $800,000 over its 19-year history.
Click here to donate to Rampart High School's Bald for Bucks page.
Cora was also a published poet. If you're interested in purchasing a copy of one of her poetry books, click here.
Cora was planning to go to CSU and had a deep love for animals. Her family asks that the public also make donations to the World Wildlife Fund in her memory.
Seven other schools took part in the assembly, including:
- Frontier Elementary School
- Academy International Elementary School
- Academy Endeavour Elementary School
- Ranch Creek Elementary School
- High Plains Elementary School
- Foothills Elementary School
- Mountain Ridge Middle School
The event was first started in 2004 in honor of Penny Sandford, who worked as an English teacher. She had been diagnosed with cancer for a fourth time, and the school held a head-shaving event to send her family on vacation. Sandford passed away in 2007 and the event was brought back in her honor.
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