On Friday night the 20th annual "Shave for the Brave" event kicked off to show support and raise money for childhood cancer research.
Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation (NNCCF) asked the community to support and participate in shaving their heads or donating money to the cause.
The event takes place each year around St. Patrick's Day, and the non-profit encourages people to go bald in support of childhood cancer research.
"Tonight is amazing," said Brigette Cole, the Executive Director for Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation. "This is really our community coming together. It is a huge grassroots effort. People are showing up all over the area, showing our families that no one fights alone in northern Nevada."
The "Shave for the Brave" event is in partnership with the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
"Shave for the Brave" has raised over $3.6 million for childhood cancer research by shaving 4,930 heads since 2006.
Cole adds "These kids lose their hair, and they don't have a choice in the matter, so I think for them to see others up on stage willingly shaving their head in support means the world to them."
We also spoke to the Smith family, who has a son who battled cancer multiple times.
The mother, Nancy Smith, told us her son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2015, and this is her third time shaving her head in his honor.
Her son is now 12 and a half years old and was also at the event tonight to shave his head too.
She tells us "He is very aware of the impact I think, especially as he gets a little older, and also it's very special to share this with him because I first did it for him."
She goes more into how the foundation was helpful to them.
"It's amazing," she said. "This organization is fantastic, one of the drugs that they sponsored in 2015, he was one of the first kids who got it off study, so I've seen...oh I'm going to cry...I've seen the impact firsthand of this research funds."
We also spoke to another group that shaved their heads Friday night.
Jeremiah Austin & Michael Barbheo said "This is for Lucas and all the kids who get cancer every 2 minutes in the world, yeah, just trying to make a difference."
They add "They can't do it without us and we can't do it without them."
To help celebrate their 20th year St. Baldrick's Board member Phil Ralston will be joining the event.
He first became involved with the St. Baldrick's Foundation to support the daughter of a friend who was diagnosed with cancer.
The goal of the event was to raise $200,000 for childhood cancer research.
