When a Texas 4000 team member passed Cindy Chang a flyer about Wednesday’s Haircutting Extravaganza, Chang said she was glad to have an opportunity to donate the hair she started growing in memory of her father, who died of cancer four years ago.

Chang, a senior software developer and analyst for the Office of Accounting, was one of 30 women who donated ponytails to raise awareness and funds for Texas 4000’s 8th annual bike ride to Alaska. Many men and one woman also shaved their heads.

The team’s 47 members will start the trip in June to raise cancer awareness, and many of them cut or shaved their own hair.

“I ride for my dad. He passed away from lung cancer on May 6 — it’ll be three years this month,” said Spanish and biology senior Ryan Sherman, a member of the Texas 4000 team. “This has been a huge healing process. Hearing everybody’s stories makes me realize I’m not alone in my fight. We’re riding from here to Alaska, and we get to share our stories all along the way and hear other people’s stories.”