SAPD Officers Will Grow Beards in November to Raise Awareness for Cancer

Beginning November 1, 2015, San Angelo Police Officers will begin growing goatees and beards to help raise awareness for testicular cancer, said Sgt. Cade Solsbery, public information officers for SAPD.

Sgt. Solsbery said SAPD is partnering with the Testicular Cancer Foundation (TCF) in Austin to raise donations and awareness for this cancer form. The TCF was founded in 2009 by Matt Ferstler, a testicular cancer survivor. The mission of the TCF is to provide education and support to men diagnosed with testicular cancer, provide support to families of testicular cancer patients, and to share its resources with the medical and healthcare communities, schools and various young men’s groups. Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in males 15-35; however, it is 99 percent treatable if diagnosed during stage one.

Solsbery stated that two years ago, the TCF partnered with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office in a November Beard Patrol challenge where the deputies were allowed to grow goatees and beards to raise awareness and support the TCF for a $25 donation. Last year, the Austin Police Department also participated. This year, the TCF has reached out to other police and sheriff’s departments around the state to participate, including SAPD.

SAPD is proud to announce their participation in the Beard Patrol challenge this year, said Sgt. Solsbery. Officers who wish to participate in the challenge will make a $50 donation to a TCF website that has been set up to receive donations, and they can begin growing their goatees or beards on Nov. 1. SAPD’s female officers can participate by making donations.

For more information on testicular cancer, or to learn how to detect the signs of it, visit www.tcancer.org. If anyone in the community wishes to participate, donations can be made at http://tcf.causevox.com/san-angelo-police-department. Men can also tweet their pictures to @SanAngeloPolice and use the hashtag #SAPDStacheCam to show SAPD their progress.