The Associated Press

Nate Madaj, a student at Lima Central Catholic, looks out from a sea of heads shaved to match his bald one in Lima this week. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

LIMA, Ohio - It started out with a few basketball players deciding to shave their heads to support a teammate battling cancer.

Now it's catching on with other students at Lima Central Catholic High School.

About 25 students are walking the halls with bald heads as a sign of support for Nate Madaj, an 18-year-old senior diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in February.

He shaved his head last week after his hair started falling out because of chemotherapy treatments. Soon after, some teammates did the same, and since then so has the rest of the team.

"We knew he had to shave his head, so we thought we would, too," Jason Brackman said. "We did it so no one would stand out and we would all look the same. We wanted him to know that we are here."

Senior Alex Collins said he has been "trying to peer pressure" other students to shave their heads.

Boys basketball coach Bob Seggerson said the number of students deciding to go hairless is growing each day.

"One of the most gratifying moments in my career has been watching these guys come together in support of Nate during the season and still now," Seggerson said.

Madaj had a hard time describing what it means to him.

"I didn't ask them to do it, they just did. It helps knowing I have people there for me," he said. "It means a lot to me. I can't even really say how much."