Grow a ’stache and raise some cash for Movember

Every year as November approaches, men around the world become giddy with excitement. This excitement is not for the start of the hockey or basketball season, or for the football season that’s in full swing. It’s because they now have a legitimate reason to grow an epic moustache – and support a great cause!

As for girlfriends, wives, mothers and sisters, they cannot wait for the end of November, so their man can finally shave and look presentable again. But they know it’s all for a great cause.

About Movember

The concept for Movember was born in 2003 in Australia and has grown year over year to what it is today – an international campaign for raising awareness about men’s health, with more than 4 million participants. It started when two friends were discussing the latest fashion trends and jokingly questioned how the moustache had fallen out of favour. Their conversation quickly turned into a larger conversation with a group of 30 friends who decided to grow moustaches. Movember was born!

The impact of Movember

• More than $500 million has been raised

• Close to 800 men’s health programs have been funded through Movember, including programs for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health
• The Movember Foundation received the Social Force of the Year award from GQ Magazine
• Movember has global impact. Participating countries include Canada, US, UK, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa and many more

The importance of creating awareness for men’s health

Here are some of the statistics about the current state of men’s health:

• 1 in 5 Canadian men experience a mental health problem each year
• About 40% of men will develop cancer in their lifetime
• Two-thirds of Canadian men are obese
• The average life expectancy for a man is four years less than women
• Avoidable mortality accounted for about 75% of premature deaths among men

There are many reasons for the poor state of health among Canadian men. Some of these reasons include engaging in risky activities, stigma surrounding mental health, a lack of awareness, a lack of discussion, and reluctance to take action. Getting a yearly physical exam is one of many steps men need to take to improve their current health.

Source: Movember

How to get involved

There are many ways that you can get involved with this campaign. You can sign up as a Mo Bro, growing your ’stache and raise money for the cause. You can raise money on your own or as part of a team. You can also make a donation to a friend or family member who is raising funds.

If you are a woman, you can become a Mo Sista! As a Mo Sista, you can sign up, recruit members, start a conversation about men’s health with the man in your life, fundraise and help celebrate the success of this year’s events.

You can also hold fundraising events in your workplace, community, school or join a network of others looking to create awareness and raise funds.

To learn more about Movember, sign up or make a donation, visit the Movember website.