The brave shavers beating blood cancer

Staff from the NSW Organ & Tissue Donation Service (OTDS) have so far raised almost $4,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation by sponsoring four of their brave colleagues to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave.

Shavers, Kendall Miles, Luke Datson, Christian Van Reede and Sean Packer took the plunge and shed their luscious beards and hair on Wednesday, 18 March, 2020.

Local Kogarah barber, Barber House, kindly donated their time and hairdressing skills to shave and cut their beards, heads and moustaches!

Luke, a Donation Specialist Coordinator at NSW OTDS, had been growing his beard for five months ahead of the long-anticipated shave. “My beard had become so long that a daily blow dry was required,” Mr Datson said.

“All jokes aside, the Greatest Shave is about helping Aussie families beat blood cancer and I’m so impressed with the generosity and support from our colleagues."

Other NSW OTDS team participants included Donation Specialist Nurse and shaving team champion, Christian who shed his man bun after 15 long years, Tissue Donor Coordinator, Kendall who shed his beard and hair, and Donor Family Support Coordinator, Sean who also shaved his head.

About the World’s Greatest Shave:

Money raised from the World’s Greatest Shave campaign goes directly towards the Leukaemia Foundation to fund important research, which is needed to find better treatments and cures for leukaemia’s, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.

Today in Australia, blood cancer is one of the top four most frequently diagnosed cancers – and is one of the leading causes of death by cancer in our country.

Every day another 41 Australians are diagnosed with a blood cancer. Although research is improving survival, sadly 20 Australians will lose their lives to blood cancer daily.

You can sponsor the team of brave shavers here.