Cancer patients often lose their hair due to treatment, but eight teachers are shaving their heads today by choice, to raise money for a cause worth 'fighting for'.

Bermuda High School teachers Sarah Wheddon, Gareth Lewis, Mark Thorpe, Tina Nash, Stuart Curtis, Fiona Lewis and Gordon Emmerson, and Primary School head Tina Harris, will take part in a shave-athon this morning to raise money for 'Fight for Life' Foundation'.

When talking to The Royal Gazette earlier this week, shavee Tina Nash wasn't worried about losing her hair. She will end up bald but still lucky to not be sick.

"Some people responded like 'you're going to lose your hair'. But it's not like I'm running a marathon, that's hard work, I'm just getting my head shaved.

"It's going to grow back and at this point I'm lucky, as far as I know, I'm cancer free."

The brave teachers have inspired approximately 725 of their primary and high school students to raise close to $4,000 for 'Fight for Life Foundation', a charity established in memory of beloved Lori Mello, who died last year at age 24 from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

'Fight for Life' was set up by Miss Mello's three best friends, Kara Maderios, Jennifer Morris and Lauren Mahoney, and aims to provide financial assistance to terminally ill youth on the Island.

Some BHS students hosted a car wash, while the senior class was able to donate some money from their prom fund to the cause; all-in-all it is one of the biggest fundraisers the whole school has been able to take part in, said Ms Harris.

In addition to the student's donations, outside donations have made the estimated total for the shave-athon between $13,000 and $15,000.

This will be one of the largest donations handed to the 'Fight for Life Foundation' to date, said Ms Morris: "(Lori) is our inspiration for doing what we do.

"She is a part of this, she is completely, completely a part of us. There were four of us, Lori being one, and we feel like something is missing, there is a void now."

Anyone interested in donating to 'Fight for Life Foundation' is encouraged to mail a cheque to 26 Harvest Lane, Hamilton CR01 or donate online to Bank of Bermuda account number 010-743417-001.

For more information please contact the foundation at fightforlifefoundation@yahoo.com.