When Berkeley resident Joe Alves started taking part in the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave 20 years ago, he had hair down to his shoulders.
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While the amount of hair to be shaved may have decreased over the years, the amount of funds he has raised has steadily increased to more than $200,000.
For the 2018 event, held in March, he raised $17,520 alone – making him the third individual fundraiser for the state.
Overall $5.2 million was raised in NSW this year, all of which helps support Australians living with a blood cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
“It costs me nothing to do it,” Mr Alves said, “but every dollar raised will help others going through a tough time, and that’s what spurs me on.”
As president of the South Coast Portugese Association, Mr Alves has a lot of community support. And while the 61-year-old has recently had some health issues of his own, he has no plans to stop helping others.
“World’s Greatest Shave, 40-hour famine, Movember, Dry July – I take part in a lot of fundraisers,” he said.
“And I always tell those who support me that nothing will stop me raising money for these causes.”
Leukaemia Foundation CEO Bill Petch said all funds raised through World’s Greatest Shave helped the charity continue its vital work towards making blood cancer in Australia a thing of the past.
“Currently there are 60,000 Australians living with a blood cancer and every day another 35 people are newly diagnosed,” he said.
“Although research is drastically improving treatments and survival rates, there is still a long way to go.”