October has passed, the worldwide Pink Ribbon month, when awareness and funds are raised for breast cancer. Similarly, november has been movember since 2003. Men all over the world are suddenly sporting moustaches in order to raise awareness for three major health threats to men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health issues in general, and suicide in particular.
Ever since its inception in 2003, Movember has sponsored over 1,250 healthcare projects all over the world, and has changed the perception of typical male health issues, and in the way in which healthcare organisations reach out to men. The ambitions of the worldwide Movember network are considerable: the aim is to lower the number of men, dying prematurely of prostate cancer, testicular cancer or suicide by 25%.
All over Belgium, men are called upon to join in all kinds of fundraising events. From bake-sales to fun-runs. Often, facial hair is the focal point of such events. Some men get paid to grow a moustache over the next few weeks, others raise money by shaving theirs off. Whatever people decide to do: ‘organize a mo-ment’, the Movember website exhorts.
Movember is also the name of a sponsored run or walk that lasts the entire month, and where participants pledge to walk 60 kilometres over the course of november, which boils down to 2 kilometres per day.
Website and app Find more information on Movember and the causes it stands for, as well as a calendar of events, tips on finding sponsors and a running total of the amount of money raised on www.be.movember.com. New for this year is a special Movember app that lists events and provides information. Download for free for iOs and Android.
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