Brian Roulston
Submitted by Brian Roulston
It’s been called many things from a sweeper to a lip rug or caterpillar to name a few. Some very famous people have sported moustaches just as famous as the people themselves such as Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds, Chris Hadfield and Niel deGrasse Tyson.
It’s Movember, originally started in Melbourne, Australia by Travis Garone and Luke Slattery while enjoying a beer at the local watering hole. They were reminiscing how moustaches have all but disappeared in recent fashion trends leading up to 2003. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was fundraising for breast cancer they decided to make their fundraising about men’s health and prostate cancer. They designed the rules of Movember which are still in place today and agreed to charge $10 to grow a ‘stache’. They sent out an email to friends, ‘Are you Man enough to be my man?’ They found 30 guys willing to take up the challenge and it was such a success in 2004 a decision was made to formalize the concept and was successfully run as a campaign across Australia with 450 men raising $54,000 that year. Spain and the U.K became home to the first international Movember fund-raising campaign.
Today 21 countries around the world including Canada and the U.S participate in raising much needed awareness into men’s health issues and funds to support these initiatives. Last year $839 million was raised.
Why is Movember important?
* 1 in 13 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
* Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young Canadian men aged 15-35
* 1 in 5 of Canadians will experience a mental health problem each year
* 3 out of 4 deaths by suicide are men
Every November throughout the month Men are challenged to grow a mustache. Men and women can also choose to move and get physically active or host a Movember event. Both Men and Women can sign up at Movember.com to take part or register their event. Also get friends and family involved or donate. So guys start out with a clean shave on Halloween,then on your mark…… start your mustaches!!!!
