DENVER -- If you've been looking for an excuse to give up shaving, now is your chance.
All this month, Denver7 is teaming up with the American Cancer Society to raise money and awareness about men's health issues.
For myself and brewer Ben Knutson at Blue Moon Brewery, it's a campaign that goes beyond being skin-deep.
“It happened kind of out of nowhere,” Knutson said.
His dad was diagnosed with cancer a year ago this month -- a rare testicular tumor that broke free and moved into his stomach.
"He was having back pain and they found a large tumor in his abdomen," Ben said.
That battle inspired Ben to create a brew not only in his dad’s honor, but to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
"I kind of came up with the idea that I wanted to brew a beer with him," Ben said.
Ben gave the beer, a German Helles, a special name.
"We called it ‘Cancer can go to Helles,’" Ben said.
And the brew has already raised thousands for the cause.
“In the one beer we brewed, we raised about $2,000," Knutson said.
Now, he’s taking the fight against cancer a step further, joining me in the ACS’s NovemBeard campaign to raise money to fight the disease.
"I've had two uncles with prostate cancer. My wife's mother and grandmother are both survivors of breast cancer," Ben said.
We invite you to ditch your razors with us for one month, along with my colleague Jason Gruenauer, as we stand up and fight cancer.
And while none of us are taking our beards too seriously, the passion to make a difference is serious.
"It's gonna get itchy and it's not going to look good, I can tell you that," Knutson said.
My father lost his 9-year battle to the disease. Ben's dad is looking good after four rounds of chemo.
"He's in remission,” Ben said. “And he's testing clean as of now, so everyone's in good spirits."