‘When he found out he had a melanoma on his neck, he got it cut out and he thought he might be alright for a while. It was just, like, so quick.’ Although Wes’ story was used in a skin cancer awareness commercial on Australian television, Jimmy wanted to do more to stop more people dying from the preventable disease.
After Wes passed away, we were saying we need to get the message out there that skin cancer can happen to anyone,’ he said.
‘Basically no one was growing a beard back then, so we said lets all grow beards and every time someone asks us about this stupid thing growing on our face we can share Wes’ story.’
The ‘This Is Beard’ initiative, which involves Jimmy asking strangers on the beach to take a pledge to get their skin checked and pose for a photo alongside them, took off – with people from all over the world sending in pictures of their own beards to keep the popular campaign going.
On the site, Jimmy described his beard as ‘one of the most valuable fields of facial follicles known to man’.
‘Not only is it a luscious and captivating neck-mane of rich mahogany and buoyant masculinity, an artwork within itself, this beard has (and will continue to) save countless amounts of lives,’ he wrote.
‘This is a rare and momentous opportunity to own the world’s first #milliondollarbeard, and support a movement which encourages people to have their skin checked for melanoma and enjoy the sun a whole lot smarter.
‘As the new owner, you may have the beard shaved by a an expert team of taxidermists, art restorers and forensic scientists. Painstakingly reconstructed and mounted within a framed glass case. Or, you may choose to have it remain on the host, and use it (within limits) as you see fit.’
Many people have also contacted Jimmy to thank him and his hipster-esque beard for ‘saving lives’.
‘You inspired me to get a skin check, Dr John found an early melanoma on my forearm and now they removed it,’ wrote Sam Refshauge.
‘Keep doing what you’re doing because it’s seriously saving people’s lives. I owe you one!’
Cancer sufferer Haydn Jenkins also shared his story on Jimmy’s website.
‘Mate what your doing is important, after my initial discovery, I had heaps of mates get checked, four had melanoma in the early stages, so I don’t know how many lives you gonna save mate, but thank f**k for that,’ he said.
Jimmy said recently he has been able to dedicate a lot more time to the campaign, and was thrilled with the response so far.
‘I like to think if Wes met someone doing something this weird and random and maybe interesting he would have listened and maybe got a skin check,’ he said.
‘I think he would be a bit more aware of it and that’s kind of the goal I suppose.
‘I know when (the campaign’s done its job but not yet. It’s just begun.’
Source: Mailonline
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