It’s that time of the year again. Movember, the annual month long moustache growing marathon is kicking off globally. With the sprouting of a new moustache, men become walking, talking billboards using their hairy ribbons to spark conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health including prostate and testicular cancer.
At the start of Movember (previously known as November), guys take action by signing up with a clean face and for the 30 days of November commit to growing a moustache. These selfless and generous men are known as Mo Bros. Mo Bros are supported by the women in their lives known as Mo Sistas – and together the Mo community spark conversation and raise vital funds for men’s health programmes. This work is saving and improving the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems.
Did you know?
- 1 in 6 South African men will be diagnosed with cancer during their lives.
- More than 4000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually, and it’s estimated that over 2500 men will die of this disease every year, amounting to a man dying every 4.5 hours.
- The average life expectancy for South African men is almost 4 years less than women.
Reasons for the poor state of men’s health include:
- The lack of awareness and understanding of the health issues that men face.
- Men don't openly discuss their health or how they feel.
- Reluctance to take action when not feeling physically or mentally well.
- Stigmas around mental health.
Since relatively humble beginnings back in 2003 in Australia, the Movember movement’s aim is to change this way of thinking by putting a fun twist to the serious issue of men's health. Using the moustache as a catalyst, the idea is to bring change and give men the opportunity and confidence to learn and talk about their health and take action when needed. Movember aims to increase early prostate cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, ultimately reducing the number of preventable deaths. Besides annual check-ups, the Movember Foundation encourages men to be aware of family history of cancer and to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
In South Africa, Movember has partnered with CANSA where funds raised from each campaign are allocated towards men’s health survivorship and research programmes. In 2012 more than 30 000 South African Mo Bros and Mo Sistas registered on www.movember.com and donated their faces to the cause. These efforts resulted in R7 180 382 million being raised for local prostate and testicular cancer survivorship and research programmes developed and managed with CANSA.
Are you looking to get more involved this November? Start your Movember journey; visit the Movember Foundation site to get involved in the various ways of supporting this noble cause. Not only by growing your stache will you be promoting men’s health but you can also donate money and have fun by supporting awesome events from parties to galas, all for a good cause.
The information on Fedhealth Medical Aid is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.
Source: www.menshealth.com, za.movember.com, www.forbes.com, www.cansa.org.za, wikipedia.org
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.
