Does the guy beside you have scruff on his upper lip?
Good for him!
He may be a “growing a mo” for Movember — to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer.
It’s not too late to start. Go to movember.com and register, either alone or as a team.
“Grow a moustache,” says Peter Bombaci, a 44-year-old marketing consultant and chair of the Toronto Movember committee. “The cheesier and more outlandish it is, the better the conversation.”
This is the fourth year for Movember in Canada.
Last year, more than 35,000 Canadians participated, and raised $7.8 million. This year is expected to be even better.
“Men need to put their egos away and create a conversation that isn’t easy,” says Bombaci.
“When my buddies say, ‘What’s that on your face?’ I explain that I’m growing a moustache to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer, and the conversation turns from a joke to guys talking about their health.”
The idea for Movember began in 2003 just as many guys’ brainstorms do —over a few beers.
A group of men in Australia — inspired by the women around them who were raising money for breast cancer — decided to grow moustaches to help raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Now, the campaign has spread to Canada, the U.S., the U.K., New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands and Finland.
Funds raised here go directly to Prostate Cancer Canada for better screening, new treatments and support for men with prostate cancer.
Among those participating are Wendel Clark, Lanny MacDonald, and Brian Stemmle.
Prostate cancer
Should I be tested?
- Stats Prostate cancer in men is about as common as breast cancer is in women: there will be about 24,600 new cases in Canada in 2010.
- Survival Rates About 95 per cent of the men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive after five years.
- Deaths Approximately 4,300 Canadian men die of prostate cancer each year.
- Screening Finding out early is key to survival. So, talk to your doctor about whether screening is a good idea.
