The men of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) have offered to shave their heads to help raise money for the Cuck Fancer organization.
This is the organization’s first appearance on Cal Poly’s campus, and so far its collaborative efforts have already raised $3,000, according to organizing leaders.
“I feel that by bringing Cuck Fancer to a college campus, we are giving young adults the ability to make a difference,” founder of the nonprofit and Alpha Epsilon Pi alumnus Ben Teller said.
Cuck Fancer is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about cancer in young adults while also raising money to help support cancer patients and their bills, according to Teller.
Approximately 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Teller was one of these.
He was about to enter his first year of college, but that was postponed when he was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin lymphoma. Teller was diagnosed two more times after that. Now in remission, he has dedicated himself to this foundation and spreading news of it across several universities in California.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Josh Rubin, business administration sophomore and AEPi member.
After months of messaging back and forth, Teller and Rubin finally saw their planned event happen on Dexter lawn earlier this week.
Along with Rubin, 15 other members of the fraternity are shaving their heads thanks to the donations from the online campaign launched a few weeks ago.
Money from the fundraising is used to directly support young adults after they have received their diagnosis. The funds have been used for a variety of different purposes, from giving a woman three months’ rent for her dreams of LA living to providing a man with a treadmill for him to get back into shape.
Another large component of their campaign at Cal Poly is to encourage college students getting tested, or “swabbed,” to potentially be a match for donating bone marrow. Students can find the lime green tent tomorrow by Dexter and use a cotton swab test to find out if they are matches for people in need of a bone marrow transplant.
“We can save lives by swabbing people,” Teller said.
After his third treatment, Teller received a bone marrow transplant with the hopes of keeping it away for good.
With help from fraternity connections, Teller and Cal Poly Alpha Epsilon Pi can be found Wednesday and Thursday by Dexter lawn from noon to 3 p.m.
Standing under the fluorescent lime green tent Rubin proclaimed, “Let’s have a cucking good time!”
Disclosure: A Mustang News managing editor is also a member of AEPi. He was not involved in the writing or editing of this story.