Uniting Yahoos and the public in support of a noble cause
Yahoos are a bunch of passionate individuals who aren’t afraid to make their opinions known. As a leader managing Yahoos, I learnt early on that Yahoos will be hard-pressed to rally behind something that they don’t believe in. But once we’re onto something, we really move to make it happen.
Today, we kick off Purple Hope, Yahoo!’s community project which donates the visibility of our Front Page in support of a local cause or mission. We’re getting behind the Children’s Cancer Foundation, and as a company, we have a culture that nurtures personal passion.
This project is a very personal undertaking for us at Yahoo! – one of our own has been fighting her own personal battle, but has shown extreme courage in lending her support to the CCF’s Hair for Hope Programme. By lending the CCF the power of the Yahoo! Singapore Front Page for one week, we want to help them raise funds and also awareness.
I am very proud to say that Yahoos have rallied in an overwhelming show of support.
Each one of us has a different reason for supporting the Purple Hope-CCF project, but we are united in the knowledge that we can make a difference to kids stricken with cancer, and their families.
Twelve (and counting) Yahoos have pledged their hair for donations, and here’s what some of them have to say:
Alan Soon, Managing Editor: This is a fantastic cause to get behind. I'm really proud that Yahoo is doing this. Spread the word, share your hair!
Tommaso Del Re, Business Development Director: I am honoured to be part of this great initiative and inspired by the other (more hairy) people who are pledging their scalp for the good cause. Let’s do this as a team, there are many ways you can make this a success. Let’s make it happen!
Siew Kum Hong, General Counsel: Letting people see how terrible I look with hair (or at least, what hair grows back), is nothing compared to what cancer patients have to go through. We all know cancer patients, and growing out my hair to shave it off is just a small gesture to show that I care.
Kuek Yu-Chuang, Regional Director, Policy: After reading about how CCF is helping families fight children’s cancer, the question for me became, “How can I not try to help?"
Phil Hayward, Mobile SE Lead, APAC: The CCF does such amazing work that I am happy to be a true egghead for a few weeks.
Maddie Tumkur, Communications Manager: This is going to be a very humbling moment for me but I hope it will help me, in some small way, to empathize with what cancer patients go through.
David Jeffs, Head of Insights, SEA: My eldest son was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009 at the age of five, he smiled his way through two years of intensive chemotherapy. It’s for all those kids who put that brave face on every single day and the hopes of their parents. Barney is now thankfully in remission. I can definitely speak firsthand about the awesome support provided by CCF and their volunteers to not only the kids affected by cancer, but also their brothers/sisters and parents … a truly deserving charity.
Himanshu Jha, Lead Data Solutions, APAC: Children represent the purity and simplicity in all of us in some way. I think we all should try to do our own small part for this noble cause.
Vikram Bodicherla, Android Engineer, one of our newest employees, has also pledged his hair in support.
Purple Hope is a recognition that we have a responsibility to make a positive impact in the community we operate. I consider it a great privilege to work at Yahoo! where I am surrounded by passionate individuals with big hearts, and who have the courage to turn an idea into a movement.
Yvonne Chang
Managing Director, Yahoo! South East Asia
To support the Yahoo! Purple Hope initiative, go here.
