LOS ANGELES – Over the course of two months, members of a webcam-based social network raised more than $18,000 to benefit cancer awareness and research.

Members, performers and staff at Cam4 participated in raffles, merchandise sales, virtual gift-giving and other activities to collect more $12,712 during Breast Cancer Month in October. The funds have been donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Another $5,500 collected during November went to the Movember Foundation, an international organization that works to raise awareness of men’s health issues including prostate and other cancers.

Together, the two campaigns exceeded the community’s $10,000 goal and more than doubled last year’s donations.

“Our site’s social networking aspect has created such an amazing ‘CAMmunity’ of strong, sex-positive members,” said Cam4 spokesperson Alison Wright. “They jumped in with both feet when we announced our Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser, and we are absolutely thrilled with the results of our collective efforts. We are humbled by the outpouring of support by our members and are pleased to make this donation to BCRF and Movember on everyone’s behalf.”

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place every October, is dedicated to a variety of activities and fundraisers to increase awareness of the disease. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation works not just to find a cure, but also to find the cause. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Those whose cancer is detected early have a 98-percent survival rate after five years.

Launched in 2004 by the Movember Foundation in Australia, the annual Movember campaign in November takes place on a global scale. Men worldwide grow moustaches to raise awareness of men’s health issues.