Barbers from across Hampton Roads came together this week for a festive haircutting marathon to support those affected by cancer.

“Cutting for a Cure,” a 24-hour haircut marathon and health fair, was held at the Motel 6 on Pruden Boulevard. Local barbers Quamane Lassiter and Datwan Artis organized the event with Suffolk resident Michelle Hollimon to raise breast cancer awareness.

About 10 barbers gave more than 60 people fades, buzzcuts, mohawks and other cuts from 8 a.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Tuesday, Hollimon said. Haircuts were free, but donations were encouraged to support the Nobody Fights Alone cause through the Louise Obici Auxiliary.

Hollimon said she was motivated by her mother, Bettie Hollimon, who died from breast cancer in 2005.

“I wanted to reach out to the community and do something that was positive,” she said.

Lassiter said about $1,900 was raised from guest donations and other contributions.

“It was a big success,” he added.

Sponsors provided food for barbers and guests, including lunch from Gourmet Burger Bistro of Portsmouth and dinner from Boogie’s Soul Food of Suffolk. Other sponsors had tables at the event to sell their products and donate half of the money earned, Lassiter said.

Mammograms and information on health services were also provided on-site.

“Women should get to know their bodies,” said breast cancer survivor Belinda Williams, “so once something is abnormal, you’ll know. Know your body and don’t be afraid.”

Children played games and danced alongside adults as the DJ filled the pink-decorated room with music. Artis and other barbers laughed with their customers, many of whom had been getting haircuts from them for years.

“The atmosphere is electrifying,” Artis said as he buzzed the back of a teenager’s head. “It’s like I just woke up, ready to go.”

Artis works as a Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Police Officer and had just finished a 12-hour shift before he started cutting hair Monday morning, he said. He kept going for the whole 24 hours, along with Lassiter and others.

Lassiter said the fatigue hit hard at about 3:40 a.m. Tuesday morning when they ran out of customers. He drove out of the motel and collected about seven more clients within an hour, and more customers came in by the time they finished those seven, he said.

“I was like, “C’mon, let’s get back to work,” he said.

Many of the haircut recipients were there in honor of family.

Jaylen Daughtrey, 13, had a breast cancer awareness ribbon design buzzed into the side of his hair in honor of his “nice,” “sweet,” great-aunt who died from cancer, he said.

Bevon Stovall brought his sons Kavion, 5, and Kervaughn, 10, for haircuts, and for his mother Carolyn Stovall, who received her last cancer treatment on Thursday and is in recovery, he said.

“I know how I feel, but I can’t imagine how she feels going through it,” he said.

With sore feet and tired arms, Lassiter said fellowship and support among friends and family affected by this terrible disease is what the event was all about.

“We just want to let them know that they’re not fighting alone,” he said.