Background
Movember is celebrated globally on an annual basis.
Movember was founded in 2003 by Travis Garone and Luke Slattery with the main focus being men’s health and prostate cancer.
According to uk.movember.com: “In 2003, two mates from Melbourne, Australia (Travis Garone and Luke Slattery) were having a quiet beer at the Gypsy Bar in Fitzroy when their conversation turned to recurring fashion trends. The moustache, a fixture in past decades, was nowhere to be seen in recent trends. They joked about bringing it back.
The two friends decided to talk their mates into growing a Mo. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was fundraising for breast cancer, they decided to make the campaign about men’s health and prostate cancer. They designed the rules of Movember (which are still in place today) and agreed to charge ten dollars to grow a Mo.“
Why is Movember important?
According to Prostate Cancer UK: “Movember, the month formally known as November, is when brave and selfless men around the world grow a moustache, and women step up to support them, all to raise awareness and funds for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.”
According to uk.movember.com: “Mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer – we’re taking them all on
Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research, and transforming the way health services reach and support men.”
We discussed previously during Men’s Health Week, which took place earlier in June about Men’s physical and mental health, cancer and how to improve your physical health. If you would like to find out more about men’s health or how one can improve their physical health, we recommend that you have a read of it here.
How do I join in Movember?
You can join in Movember by:
- Growing a moustache – Grow your moustache for Movember, use your moustache as a way to raise awareness about men’s health. You can also join in with others to raise funds to “grow a mo”. If you would like to join in or to find out more about Movember’s grow a moustache, then please visit uk.movember.com/get-involved/moustaches.
- Join the “Move for Movember” event – The Move for Movember event is focused on either walking or running 60km over the month of Movember, according to Movember’s website: “Run or walk 60km over the month. That’s 60km for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour across the world.” If you would like to find out more or to join in “Move for Movember”, then please visit uk.movember.com/get-involved/move.
- Join a local event – Events are held throughout the UK by individuals who are wanting to help others or wanting to make a change, if you would like to join an event or to find out which events are being held throughout Movember, then please visit uk.movember.com/events.
- Sharing on social media – By sharing this article and other articles and information about Movember and why it is so important, you are helping to raise awareness about men’s health.
- Hosting your own event – Host your own event for Movember and challenge family, friends, neighbours and co-workers to join your event.
Movember’s website contains multiple guides to how to host your own face-to-face or virtual event, trivia questions, posters and much more. If you are interested in hosting your own event or you would like to find out more about hosting your own event for Movember, then please visit uk.movember.com/get-involved/host.