Changing the face of men’s health, one moustache at a time
When it comes to health, there are too many men who do not talk, do not take action, and then die too young.
In fact, one man in every seven is likely to develop prostate cancer, and testicular cancer is even more common, especially among men aged between 15 and 35. Moreover, suicide, out of depression, in patients, is also the biggest cause of death in men under 50.
This is where Movember came in.
A portmanteau of mo (European term for moustache) and November, Movember aims to battle the reluctance men often face when it comes to addressing the aforementioned health issues, including mental health, by putting a fun twist on a serious situation – encouraging men to grow out Seventies-inspired moustaches. We are talking everything from the Nacho Libre and the Borat to the Bronson and the Gangs of New York look, nothing is off the table, not even beloved Eighties video game character Mario’s moustache – the funkier, the better!
A Hairy Tale
The year is 2003, the place is Melbourne, Australia. Two men, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, met for some hops in a bar, and therein sparked the idea for the Movember Foundation. Thirty lads joined together to bring back the moustache trend – they raised zero money.
The next year though, 480 people came and took part and worked together to raise £30,710 for prostate cancer research. The money was donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) which, at that time, was the largest donation ever received by the organisation.
Since then, the trend has taken the world by storm. The Foundation now ranks at 49 among the top 500 non-governmental organisations in the world and aims to cut the number of men dying prematurely by a quarter by the year 2030.
It is regarded to be the only global charity focused solely on men’s health. The Foundation works to raise funds in an effort to bring about innovation through breakthrough research and support programmes to help men live happier, healthier, and longer lives.
Activities run year-long but reach their peak in November with the Movember campaign calling for men to start clean shaven on 1 November and commit to growing a moustache for the next 30 days. The campaign is widely recognised and heralded for its fun, unique approach to fundraising and enabling men to take action for their health.
Since the Foundation gained traction, it has raised over 769 million dollars and has even funded over 1,200 projects focused on prostate and testicular cancer as well as mental health and suicide prevention.
When it comes to health, there are too many men who do not talk, do not take action, and then die too young.
Around five million people – Mo Bros and Mo Sistas – take part annually in at least 21 countries including Austria, Denmark, UK, USA, South Africa, and Norway. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE,) unfortunately, are not officially on the list due to the lack of Movember projects and support but that’s where you come in.
Your Helping Hand
So what can you do?
Arguably, most men in Pakistan and in the UAE are already sporting moustaches, but the real commitment to the cause is start fresh. Shave it all off: the stache, the sideburns and the beard and spend the next 30 days grooming a new mo.
For women, feel free to attempt to grow a stache as well but odds are success will be out of reach. Instead, why not plan a fundraising event? This campaign still needs to settle into Pakistan and the UAE, and what better way is there to raise awareness than hosting an event. If you really cannot shake the need to have a stache, invest in a few stick-ons for some fun during the event.
Another way to commit is to commit to your own health and thus inspire others to do the same. Set up a community fitness event to rile everyone up and help them understand the importance of good health in a long life.
You also have the option to straight-up donate to the cause. Visit movember.com for more information on the campaign, and how you can help out.
