THUNDER BAY -- Shaving Brian Crocker's head doesn't take much time but it's a powerful act just the same.
Thunder Bay Police Service Sgt. Crocker lost most of his hair a bout with cancer eight years ago. A hockey team of six and seven-year-old children showed their solidarity with the officer by shaving their heads to support him.
"It was very emotional at the time, especailly that it was little kids and their parents also got involved and their younger brothers and sisters got involved," he said.
"It still chokes me up. I'll never forget those kids."
Crocker was among dozens who stepped under the shaver at Intercity Mall on Saturday to support Cops For Cancer.
The event began in Edmonton 12 years ago in a reverse situation to Crocker's experience. A boy was being bullied at school over his bald head due to his cancer treatments. An officer there shaved his head as a symbol he would stand together with the child to fight both cancer and bullying.
As for Crocker, he came back to Cops For Cancer after all these years to honour his close friend Derick Zale and a civilian worker with the Thunder Bay Police named Richard Atkinson who recently passed away from cancer.
Even before Cops For Cancer began on Saturday, the Canadian Cancer Scoiety had already raised $6,000. Northwest Region manager Maria Cabral said she hoped to raise $25,000 that will be committed to pediatric cancer care in the region.
"If we're unable to help children locally in Thunder Bay, we'll help with transporting them and their families to Toronto to get the support and treamtent they need," Cabral said.
"Cancer affects everybody and everybdoy has a personal story and a meaning behind it so it's really interesting to hear those kinds of stories."