No Shave November Fundraiser Honors Vienna Officer's Late Father

VIENNA, VA — Vienna police officers will once again be allowed to grow facial hair for a Grow & Give fundraiser to support prostate cancer research and programs. For one of the officers, the cause is personal.

"One of our officers, Juan Vazquez, lost his father to prostate cancer a few years ago, and it is especially meaningful to him that we participate," Vienna Police Chief Jim Morris said in a statement. "Last year, our small department raised the second-highest amount of any public safety organization in the country for the cancer charity – more than $8,000 – and that’s thanks to the generosity of our community."

Participating officers will be allowed to grow out their beards during "No Shave November" to raise money to support the Grow & Give campaign with ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer. The officers hope their fundraiser will encourage others to learn about prostate cancer and donate to help find a cure.

According to an American Cancer Society estimate, over 268,000 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and over 3.1 million people are currently battling prostate cancer.

Vazquez's father died from cancer in 2017. According to Vazquez's fundraiser page, his father's cancer wasn't detected "until it was too late." The cancer had metastasized beyond the prostate to other parts of his father's body.

"Years of chemotherapy and eventually radiation treatments were not able to stop it and eventually my dad passed away," Vazquez wrote.

Vazquez highlighted early detection as a way to avoid prostate cancer or completely treat the cancer. According to ZERO, there is a 98 percent five-year survival rate for men with prostate cancer.

The Vienna Police Department raised more than double the $3,000 goal of last year's fundraiser. This year, the officers hope to raise at least $5,000. The donations will help ZERO's research, patient programs, free testing and educational programs, according to the fundraiser page.

Residents can donate to the Vienna Police Department's fundraiser page or contribute to an individual officer's fundraiser.