‘No-Shave November’ takes root in Washougal

Fundraiser promotes cancer awareness

By Dawn Feldhaus
November 29, 2018 5:30 am
News

Washougal City Manager David Scott (left) and Washougal Accounting Specialist Lee Bowles (right) talk in Scott's office in City Hall. Scott and Bowles are participating in "No-Shave November," a monthlong effort to put away the razor, increase awareness about cancer and donate to cancer prevention, research and education.

Two Washougal men — one originally from the New England area and the other from Manchester, England — have something in common, a desire to help fund the fight against cancer.

Washougal City Manager David Scott and Washougal Accounting Specialist Lee Bowles are repeat participants in “No-Shave November,” an effort to promote awareness of cancer and raise money for cancer prevention, research and education. Scott and Bowles have put down their razors in November and allowed their beards to grow.

Scott, 56, plans to donate to the American Cancer Society. He has participated in “No-Shave November,” for several years, but his involvement in the annual effort took on more meaning in 2015 after his father died at the age of 77, six weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4+ stomach cancer.

Scott’s paternal grandmother died of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer, when she was in her 60s, in the mid 1970s.

Scott’s office in City Hall includes New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics hats as well as photos of Fenway Park, in Boston. He said his father’s New England roots resulted in Scott’s “genetic disposition” to being a fan of New England sports teams.

Bowles, 40, plans to donate to the American Association for Cancer Research. He has participated in “No-Shave November” for four years, to increase awareness of testicular, prostate and colon cancer.

Bowles said he was inspired to get involved with the “No-Shave November” effort as he got older and knew he needed to get checked for several types of cancer.

Bowles found out he has type 2 diabetes when he went to his doctor to treat a pulled muscle in his back.

His doctor was concerned Bowles might have a kidney infection, so he ran a urine test.

“If I hadn’t gotten lucky, I could have been devastated by that disease before even knowing that I had it,” Bowles said. “It’s the same for the prostate cancer (and other types of cancer). Early detection saves lives.”

“Regular checkups when you are over 40 or even approaching 40 will hopefully find these things and allow you to change your lifestyle in time to avoid these life threatening diseases,” he added.

“No-Shave November” is not just for men. Women are also invited to participate and donate the money they would have spent on shaving and grooming to organizations involved in cancer prevention, research and education. For more information, visit no-shave.org.

Related Stories