Moustaches are made in Movember
Millions of men are currently growing and grooming a moustache to raise funds for prostate and testicular cancer and men’s mental health. Jeremy Macvean from Movember says there is still more work to be done.
Since Movember’s humble beginnings in 2003 in Melbourne, when 30 men grew moustaches, Movember has become a truly global movement, inspiring more than four million men and women to participate in 21 countries around the world.
The Movember community has raised $580 million, and has funded more than 800 programs to date. This work is saving and improving the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems.
Men and women sign at Movember.com to grow or support only the moustache. At the start of the month, men around Australia started clean-shaven and are currently growing and grooming the best moustache they can muster for the month of November, getting friends, family and colleagues to donate to their moustache-growing efforts along the way.
Men (also known as Mo Bros), with their new moustaches, become walking, talking billboards. Similar to a run or walk for charity, they use their hairy ribbon to spark conversations around the often ignored issue of men’s health and seek to raise funds to support the work of the Movember Foundation.
Movember’s not just for men. Women who support men’s health, known as Mo Sistas, are an important part of Movember’s success. They get involved in the same way as men, except they don’t need to grow a moustache. They sign up at Movember.com, start a team, recruit their blokes to participate, donate, fundraise, plan and organise events. Most importantly they rally the men in their lives to join the movement, grow moustaches and have important conversations about men’s health.
Meaningful strides have been taken toward achieving Movember’s goals, but there is more work to be done.
Each of the causes we support remains in desperate need of further funding, and continue to be issues that men are often uncomfortable discussing. We’re committed to raising vital funds and awareness to improve the lives of men and their families. Visit Movember.com to sign up or support a moustache and join the movement to have an everlasting impact on men’s health.
Jeremy Macvean is the Asia Pacific Director for Movember, a men’s health charity that uses the power of the moustache to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues – specifically prostate and testicular cancer and mental health. The Movember campaign currently operates in 21 countries and last year raised over $127 million. Jeremy has extensive experience leading Marketing and Digital teams, having previously held senior positions at Southern Cross Austereo, The Royal Women’s Hospital and agencies including Y&R and Clemenger Harvie Edge.
