The month of November means colder weather and shorter days for some, and increasing facial hair for many others.
‘Movember’ was, not surprisingly, started by a group of Australians in 2003 (officially established in 2004) who were looking for a way to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues.
Typically, as the term Movember indicates, men grow a mustache during the month of November while accumulating donations to go toward such illnesses as prostate and testicular cancer. Several countries around the world, including Canada, have jumped onboard the Movember bandwagon, partly because it addresses a worthy cause and partly because most men love growing facial hair and retiring the razor for a month.
Some men grow mustaches, others beards; either way, it’s a great initiative to help raise awareness of men’s health issues, which, if much of the male sex is honest with themselves, can go unnoticed due to a lack of diligence when it comes to regular visits to one’s family doctor.
Women can also get involved in Movember by supporting the men and the mustaches in their lives by organizing events and leading a team of mustache-bearing ‘Mo Bros,’ as they are referred to.
One of the challenges for many men looking to let the whiskers flourish is backing from their respective place of employment.
Showing up for work, dressed to the nines, yet sporting a five o’clock shadow that you can’t help but scratch for the first week or so, can be off-putting for some employers.
It should not be, however.
Part of Movember’s growing success is due to its ability to blend a serious issue with a light, fun and creative attitude. Recently the charity created The Moscars to showcase participation around the world, and the International Man of Movember.
According to movember.com, the charity saw 1,127,152 participants worldwide in 2012, raising $146.6 million. That year in Canada, 247,441 took part, and raised $42.6 million. And that’s just those who registered. Movember has also boasted several high-profile ambassadors during its brief history, and last year was named one of the top 100 non-government organizations in the world.
Anyone wanting to register their mustache, whether on your own or as part of a team, can do so by visiting movember.com/ca/register.
So put away the razor and let the facial hair prosper, because there’s no better cause than one that aims to save lives.
