How you can help Shore non-profit help those battling cancer

There's a lot of fund that comes with #NoShaveNovember from growing facial hair and busting the chops of someone who struggles to do so (like me) and it's all okay.

While having fun though, it's important to help raise awareness of any number of diseases that affect men during #NoShaveNovember from Cancer and ALS to any Mental Health diseases or concerns.

For a few years now the Harvey Cedars Police Department (and others) have put down their razors and have pledged to help David's Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation based in Manahawkin.

David Caldarella, who just celebrated his 11th anniversary of being cancer free on November 11 knows exactly what so many go through and in his case it was battling Stage-4 Head and Neck Cancer that led to him losing 65-pounds, feeling weak and very sick and trying to get better.

Through family and friends and community support, David fought his way on through and in return since November 11, 2010 has given back to this community and beyond, putting together a foundation that helps those currently battling cancer and their families during the toughest of times and beyond.

"It's hard to believe it's been 11-years, but man so grateful to be here to be doing the mission behind David's Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation and honestly I look at each day as a gift and what can we do with that gift," Caldarella tells Townsquare Media News. "Each year it is a milestone, it's something that I kind of reflect on and think back a little bit of what that was like and then be so grateful to be here 11-years later and still be kicking and doing what we're doing."

DDBCF has participated in #NoShaveNovember awareness campaigns in years past and are doing so again this month, but have made some adjustments to how they are doing so this year.

"In the past, we did #NoShaveNovember and this year we decided to kind of reimagine things with #LetItGrow and really, the whole idea for us is definitely bringing awareness to cancer, men's health -- but this year for us, really it's about patients," Caldarella said. "When we first started, we said 'oh, we're just going to help head and neck cancer patients because that's what David had', and very quickly we realized that cancer is cancer -- for everybody -- for their families, caregivers, for the community and this November kind of reflects that for us. We just want to help people. We raise awareness for the cause, for our mission and what we do and then obviously there's the fundraising component behind it that allows us to bring hope and financial aid to families that are struggling."

This November, several LBI Police Departments including Harvey Cedars, are collectively teaming up to help DDBCF and they need your help -- more so, those battling cancer.

"David and the foundation...what they've been doing for our community, LBI, and now expanding throughout the state and greater has just been unbelievable so to have the opportunity for not only my department but this year every police department on Long Beach Island to all stand together, stand side-by-side and #LetItGrow to raise awareness and funds that go through the foundation to help people in our area who are battling a cancer diagnoses is just -- I couldn't ask for anything more," Chief Burnaford tells Townsquare Media News.

The LBI Police Departments joining together this November to help DDBCF was something that didn't take much thought, they were all in from the gecko.

"It was easy, there was no hesitation, every police chief said 'yea, I'm on board and let's do it' -- I mean, really, the conversation was quite minimal because they jumped right in," Chief Burnaford said.

Since inception in 2010, Caldarella said that DDBCF has helped more than 2,000 families and raised over $2-million in direct financial aid for these families.

If your means allow this November, they ask that you donate if you can, but everyone can do their part in raising awareness by passing on their message to others so everyone can work together to help those in Ocean County, Monmouth County and beyond in their fight with cancer.