Rory Ritrievi, CEO of Mid Penn Bank (left), and Dr. Jay Raman, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at Penn State Health, pose with an oversized check for $340,000 representing the amount raised during of “No” 2024. “Shave in November” campaign.
Penn State Health and Mid Penn Bank raised $340,000 through their ninth consecutive “No Shave November” campaign, officially crossing the $1 million mark for funds raised since the launch of this annual initiative.
December 9, 2024
No Shave November, which began in 2016 and has grown each year since, benefits prostate and urologic cancer research and treatment at Penn State Health. Participants from both organizations ditched their razors and grew facial hair in a friendly competition to see who could raise the most money for the cause.
This year, Rory Ritrievi, CEO of Mid Penn Bank, and his team “MPB Execs” won the title of top team, raising $137,863. Dr. Jay Raman, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at Penn State Health, and his “Raman Noodles” team raised $127,584. The other 29 teams, made up of Penn State Health and Mid Penn Bank employees, raised $74,553.
“The support from Mid Penn Bank over the past nine years has been absolutely incredible. When we started, I never thought we could raise a million dollars, but here we are,” Raman said. “I would like to thank Rory and the rest of the team for their work. The funds raised have truly made an impact on our Penn State Health patients and many others in the communities we serve.
Money raised supports research by Department of Urology physician-scientists who focus on cancer care in the aging population, address cancer disparities among minority populations, and increase genetic testing of patients with cancer to better determine risk and personalize therapies.
He also helps provide free prostate cancer screenings to the community, supports the department’s mission-based work in underserved areas regionally and nationally, and hosts educational conferences on cancer prevention and screening at available to patients and healthcare professionals.
Last year, the Department of Urology was able to double the number of free screenings offered to men thanks to funds raised through this campaign. This included a free screening event on November 16, during which more than 50 men were screened and given health advice.
“I am extremely proud of the work we have done to raise this money and surpass the million dollar mark. In the first year of the campaign, we raised $11,000 and we thought we did very well,” Ritrievi said. “Raising over a million dollars is incredible to see. One of my favorite parts of the entire campaign is watching our Mid Penn Bank and Penn State Health employees’ enthusiasm and dedication throughout the month.
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