Movember shines a light on various men’s health issues
What is Movember?
Started in Melbourne, Australia, by two friends nearly 20 years ago, Movember® has become a global, mustachioed phenomenon that has since helped to fund more than 1,250 men’s health projects.
overweight and obese also increases risk).
Testicular cancer The American Cancer Society reports that the average age at the time of diagnosis of testicular cancer is Each November, men across the about 33, which underscores the noglobe agree to grow a moustache tion that no man is too young to learn in an effort to raise awareness about men’s health issues. Though about men’s health issues. Dubbed testicular cancer is not as prevalent If you think you’re seeing more prostate cancer. In a testament to Movember®, this annual effort is as prostate cancer, the American Somoustaches lingering over mens’ the two friends’ skills in the art of the brainchild of two friends, Traciety of Clinical Oncology notes that upper lips as November unfolds, persuasion, they were able to find vis Garone and Luke Slattery, who diagnoses of the disease have been chances are your eyes are not 30 men willing to take up the chalhad been joking about how to bring on the rise for decades. The reasons deceiving you. November has long lenge to grow a moustache. Those moustaches back into fashion. The for that are unknown, but lack of been synonymous with Thanksgiving who accepted the challenge agreed two men were inspired to tie their awareness of the disease and what and the start of the holiday season, to follow the rules of Movember, efforts into a campaign to raise can be done to detect it early could but it’s also taken on a whole new which included paying $10 to grow a awareness about men’s health by the be contributors to the increase. persona in recent years, and mousmoustache. mother of a friend who, at the time, taches are a significant part of that Men’s suicide That initial campaign generated sig- was raising funds for breast cancer. new identity. The American Foundation for Suicide nificant enthusiasm among the initial Since its inception, Movember® has Prevention reports that suicide is the Arguably as popular as ever, Moparticipants, so the following year a helped raise awareness about three 12th leading cause of death in the vember® is a public health-focused decision was made to formalize their particular issues, prostate cancer, United States. The rate of suicide is effort designed to raise awareness efforts and officially support a worthy testicular cancer and men’s suicide, highest among middle-aged white of and support research into men’s cause related to men’s health. After that might otherwise have garnered men, and in 2020 men died by suihealth issues such as prostate some research, prostate cancer considerably less attention. Taking cide at a rate nearly four times higher cancer, testicular cancer and suicide. was chosen as the issue to formally time to understand these issues can than women. Globally, the Institute Men who participate in Movember support. The Prostate Cancer Founhelp make Movember® an even for Health Metrics and Evaluation typically begin growing moustachdation of Australia, though not an greater success than it already is. reports that suicide rates in men es on November 1 and keep them official men’s health partner of Moare just over twice as high as those throughout the month. vember, agreed to accept any funds Prostate cancer for women. A greater awareness of generated by the 2004 campaign. By The World Cancer Research Fund The origins of Movember can be suicide, including how much more that time, 450 men, including some International reports that prostate traced to 2003, when two men in prevalent it is among men than womin Spain and the United Kingdom, cancer is the second most common- en, could help prevent more suicides. Australia, Travis Garone and Luke had agreed to take part, ultimately ly occurring cancer in men and the Slattery, met for a beer in Melbourne. raising more than AUD $50,000. More information about suicide prefourth most common cancer overall. At that point in time, the popularity of vention is available at afsp.org. In fact, more than 1.4 million men moustaches had waned, but Garone Nearly 20 years later, the moustaacross the globe are diagnosed with What started as a playful way to reand Slattery joked about restoring chioed movement to raise awareprostate cancer each year. Education store moustaches to their once-lofty the stache to its once-lofty status. ness about various men’s health about prostate cancer can include an status has become a highly successAt the time, a friend’s mother was issues is still going strong, having emphasis on the factors and behavful campaign that has helped to raise fundraising for breast cancer, and funded more than 1,250 men’s Garone and Slattery were inspired health projects since its inception. In- iors that increase a man’s risk for the awareness about three significant to combine their efforts to bring back dividuals interested in learning more disease, which the WCRFI indicates men’s health issues. More informainclude height (being tall increastion about Movember® can be found the moustache with efforts to raise about Movember can visit us.moawareness about men’s health and vember.com. es a man’s risk) and weight (being at us.movember.com. 6
Senior Scope • November & December 2022
