It’s that time of year again MoBros and MoSistas. Time to trade in that clean shaven face for a moustache mantel perched on your upper lip in support of prostate cancer awareness.
Men and women alike from all over the world have been registering at movember.com since 2003 to grow their moustaches and spread the word. The movement has grown along with the stashes, jumping from a mere 30 men registered in the beginning to over 854,000 in 2011. Since 2003, Movember has raised $301 million in support of men’s health issues.
UNBSJ and the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) have been proud supporters of Movember, arranging friendly moustache growing competitions, supporting moustache teams and yearly Movember pub crawls.
Kristen Munro, a UNBSJ student also known as “Mustachio Munro,” is the authority on campus concerning Movember and is the team leader of the MoStache Riders. She facilitates the yearly pub crawl, which she started three years ago.
The father of a close friend to Munro was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the two friends decided to do something to support their loved one. When asking for donations, a co-worker refused to contribute saying that no one she ever knew was affected by it. This reaction kicked Munro into overdrive. “That was all it took; because of what she said, I knew I had to do something to help ensure the future health of the men I love in my life,” says Munro, “All cancer sucks, not just specific kinds and the statistics speak for themselves. One in five men [are diagnosed with prostate cancer], that definitely deserves recognition.”
Movember is a fun way to get vocal about men’s health issues. Men can raise money by simply growing a moustache for 30 days, and women can demonstrate their support by standing by their MoBros. It’s an exciting way to raise awareness about a very serious issue. “[Movember] helps us ensure that being proactive about your health is viewed as important and gets rid of the stigma that can influence some men to believe that taking care of their health is considered being a wimp,” says Munro.
Last year Munro and her merry band of MoStache Riders raised over $1,000 for their team donation, adding up to $2,300 from the annual pub crawl.
This year the pub crawl registration was filled well over a month in advance, demonstrating that UNBSJ is ready to get growing for a good cause.
For all of the potential MoBros out there who are weary on participating because they don’t know what kind of mo to grow, here are some suggestions. The Charlie Chaplin is a timeless classic, the Hulk Hogan is a masculine and intense statement and the Albert Einstein is an eccentric yet intelligent choice. Munro recommends some of her personal favourites including the Porn Star and the Makeout Bandit.
Next month let’s see some of these fine moustaches around campus. It’s a good cause that deserves some attention, so shave up and start growing to get people talking about the importance of men’s health.
