Since their birth ten years ago, this cancer awareness charity has grown so popular we might as well just rename the month for good. Put down your razors lads, it’s officially Movember.
Movember is a month-long challenge that asks men to grow a moustache to show their support and raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health charities. Starting as a 30-man team in Melbourne in 2003, the Mo Bros now pride themselves on being 1.1million strong. Last year alone, men across the world let their mo grow and raised a whopping £92 million.
Men can sign up to Movember individually or as part of a team, and the rules are simple; start off on 1st November clean-shaven, grow a mo for the entire 30 days, and make it as sexy as possible with the new Movember style guide. Let’s hope they smash that £92 million personal best straight out of the park this year.
Despite their huge efforts however, we all know there is still a lot to be done in the fight against these diseases. 100 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day. Personally, I’ve had two survivors and one fatality in my family alone. As for testicular cancer, there are approximately 2200 new cases a year, and unlike prostate cancer which generally affects the older generation, it is common in men from 15-45 years old. As well as raising funds to help support the men living with cancer, Movember also works to promote its prevention, and encourages men to have their PSA blood tests and carry out a testicular self-examination.
If you think this is just a boy’s game though, you’d be wrong. The Mo Sistas are just as important to the Movember team. To quote the website, ‘Mo Sistas do everything that Mo Bros do, without a Mo’. Phew. Whether a wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, daughter, colleague or friend, women can be a support to the mo-growers, as well as helping men to become more comfortable with talking about their feelings and health. You can register to be a Mo Sista on the Movember site, are there are masses of ways to get involved.
- Start or join a team
- Recruit team members through work, family or friends
- Raise funds through social media sites and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or the new Mo on the Go app
- Attend one of the ‘Movember Gala Partés’
- Hosting your own Mo Party within your community
If you’re unsure about making a big commitment, that’s fine too, but why not ask around and see which men you know who are starting the mo journey tomorrow, and donate as much as you can.
Lydia Jones blogs at abitofwhatifancy.blogspot.co.uk
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