« Movember »
Wear a mustache and fight cancer!
Lucie Petitprez and Marcus Vogt
The beginning of the month of November is also the beginning of the global project “Movember” in order to warn men about prostate cancer.
Did you say “Movember”? Movember, a portmanteau from the diminutive “mo” of mustache and the month November, is an annual month-long event when millions of men around the world grow mustaches to raise awareness about men's health issues, notably prostate cancer.
The term “Movember” goes back to one night in 1999 in a pub in Adelaide, South Australia, when a group of young men came up with the idea of growing mustaches for charity in November. Soon after, “Movember” became a nationwide event. Today the Movember Foundation, which was founded in 2004, has already raised $174 million worldwide and has millions of followers around the world in places as far away as South Africa, Europe and North America.
It’s easy to participate in the event: on the first day of “Movember”, the participants, called “Mo Bros”, upload a picture of their shaved faces on « www.movember.com ». During the rest of the month they must grow and groom a mustache to show the world their attachment in fighting cancer. Using the power of the mustache to create conversations about men’s health, the Mo Bros have to raise funds for the foundation. Last but not least, each Mo Bro must behave like a true gentlemen.
According to Movember activist Mark Leruste this “fashionable and social” movement is one of the best ways to raise awareness about prostate cancer. The project’s popularity has grown thanks to the involvement of many celebrities, especially sports stars. In Canada, two hockey teams chose to grow mustaches and changed the names of their teams to “Prostate” and “Testicle”! Many American football players have also joined the cause. Last year, in France, the movement was represented by celebrities like the players of the Racing-Métro 92 or ex-footballer Grégory Coupet.
The famous French engineering school Ecole Centrale Marseille will also participate in the “Movember” movement thanks to the student association CheerUp. This group has two main goals: offering support to cancer patients and raising awareness about cancer. During the month of November, they will focus their activity on the Movember movement and organize special events. An information day about prostate cancer and skin cancer will take place on 18 November when CheerUp members will explain the importance of prevention routines for these taboo illnesses. Their actions will include distributing flyers and organizing an afternoon tea party. All through the month, students are invited to post photos of their own mustaches on the association’s Facebook page and “the most beautiful, most carefully groomed and most liked mustaches” will win prizes. Here is the link to their event:
To conclude, mustaches up, gentlemen!
