The ninth annual No-Shave November fundraiser procured $15,000 for Loma Linda University Cancer Center’s patient care, translational research, and clinical innovation. Community members, Inland Empire law enforcement departments, and Loma Linda University Health partnered in this month-long initiative to promote cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection.

Six law enforcement agencies—San Bernardino Police Department, Chino Police Department, Redlands Police Department, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and Upland Police Department—all pitched in during the month of November to raise the combined funds. Toyota of Redlands also contributed.

Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University Health, thanked regional law enforcement during yesterday’s closing ceremony, held at the car dealership. “We want to thank and recognize our law enforcement for their tireless work serving our community and for their support of cancer services and research at Loma Linda University Health,” he said.

LLUH leadership also spoke of cancer’s profound impact on the community and shared ways in which No-Shave November funds will help bolster the Cancer Center’s initiatives.

The center aims to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation in recognition of its cutting-edge treatments and research. Current initiatives at the center include developing a multidisciplinary brain tumor center, expanding clinic and infusion spaces, and establishing a cellular immunotherapy lab.

Judy Chatigny, MSN, Cancer Center assistant vice president, spoke of the center’s and local law enforcement’s shared mission and responsibility of helping to improve lives in the community. “We are appreciative of our longstanding partnership with local law enforcement that allows us to take care of the community together,” she said. “Every year through this month-long event, we get to team up to spread awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and research.”

For a month preceding the event, members from the law enforcement agencies competed to grow out facial hair in hopes of earning a top title in seven categories: best eyebrows, best head of hair, best beard attempt, best mustache, best beard, whitest beard, and hairiest legs. Nelson Carrington, captain of the San Bernardino Police Department, announced winners during the fundraiser’s award ceremony.

After the program, a barbershop offered free straight-cut shaves on-site to those who had participated in the month-long awareness. No-Shave November participants over the past nine years have raised a grand total of nearly $116,000.

The original version of this story was posted on the Loma Linda University website.