ARE YOU READY FOR MOVEMBER?
With the month of November approaching, it is yet again the time to stop, reflect and make a difference. November or rather Movember also referred to as "Mo," (An Aussie slang for mustache) as the men in the grooming community likes to call it, is an annual event that marks the entire month of November and is celebrating its 11th Anniversary this year. It all started in Melbourne, with two young men discussing over a drink, what the women in their lives were doing for breast cancer. Together they concluded that the style of moustache ought to make a comeback and could create a symbol for men's health.
With their sudden enthusiasm, The Movember Foundation began its early humble beginnings with only 30 volunteers, and has immensely grown its popularity and name to more than 3 million participants. The Foundation urges men everywhere to grow moustache during the month, in order to collect funds and raise awareness for men's health - covering prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health challenges. All the funds collected through the efforts, goes to charity and active research for the named illnesses. Today the foundation is known as one of the largest non-governmental donors to prostate cancer research in the world. The volunteers failed to collect any funds during the first year, but succeeded in collecting $54,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia in 2004. Today the annual event occurs throughout 21 countries worldwide, and in 2012, 1.1 million people participated (about a fifth of them were from the United States) and succeeded in raising $147 million around the globe.
The foundation's ultimate goal besides collecting funds is also to send a reminder to men. It has been learned that men often shy away or hesitate in paying attention to their health. So, the main motive comes down to reminding them, “Hey, when was the last time you visited your physician? Maybe you should go and get yourself checked” Overtime, thousands of men have shown great interest and active participation that resulted in opening up more and more about diseases that they were often too embarrassed or simply just ignored to discuss in the past.
The bright part is that Movember is not just meant for men, and it is also effective for women around the community but just without the moustache of course. Women also referred to as the "mo sistas," are encouraged to spread the word and convince their family and friends to participate. The Movember foundation takes pride and honour the mo sistas to their added success, as they stated that the mo sistas do everything like any other male participant is doing, but just without a mo. In fact, I've been playing the role of an Invisible ambassador for the past few weeks, spreading the word all around and even convinced few to grow their moustache for the entire month. Score!
Starting from November 1st till the end of the progressing month, interested active participants are required to register themselves on www.Movember.com and grow their moustache toward the wonderful cause for the 30 days of November. All active volunteer must start out clean shaved on November 1st, and must adhere to the rules: 1. There cannot be joining of the Mo at the sideburns as that is considered a beard. 2. There cannot be joining of the handlebars at the chin as that is considered a goatee. 3. There cannot be any additional hair growth under the chin. 4. They must not shave for the 30 days. As their moustache is growing, they are required to ask for donation from family and friends and collect funds in the name of men's health. The whole idea comes down to talking, walking, and live hairy men who carry the message of raising awareness of men's health. Reading or watching the news is of course effective, but a message spreading from ear to ear in person is much more powerful.
If you are someone who loves supporting charity, raise awareness for cancer patients and its research and wish to build a strong and healthy community, then you must consider yourself to be a part of the Movember Campaign.
Comments