Broughton Island (May 12/03) - The community of Qikiqtarjuaq gathered together last week to watch five people get their heads shaved for a charity event called Cops for Cancer.

It was the first time the event has been held in Nunavut and organizer Const. Dale Lewis hopes it's not the last.

"Since I've been here, we've had a number of people die or who are battling with the disease," said Lewis. "I've been here since last July and thought this event would be a good idea."

Cops for Cancer was started back in 1994 by an Edmonton police officer who saw a young child undergoing chemotherapy.

The police officer decided to shave his head in support for charity.

It has now become a regular fundraising event among police departments across the country in an effort to fund medical research and beat cancer.

To help make sure the event in Qikiqtarjuaq was a success, Lewis enlisted as one of the participants. He said he's never had his head shaved so close before, adding that his two-year-old son thought he looked funny.

Once he committed to the challenge, however, it wasn't very difficult to get other people to follow suit.

"Once they get the background information on Cops for Cancer, everybody joined in.

"We are lucky. We can let our hair grow back, the people undergoing chemo can't," said Lewis.

There were five participants in all. Besides Lewis, Cpl. Ann Hills, Co-op manager Walter Morey, Inuksuit school principal Phil Riggs, as well as classroom assistant Markosie Aningmuiq.

Riggs said he was in the process of growing out his hair when the event came up.

"I was going to go back to my hippy days and I was going to grow a pony tale," said Riggs.

"Any hope of that happening now is gone but everyone around the school seems to like it."

The event raised a little over $1,000 for cancer research. Lewis said he plans to hold another Cops for Cancer event next year.