We've heard a lot recently about Pinktober and breast cancer awareness, but now we're into the month of Movember, and a chance to talk about men's health issues.
Movember was established in 2003 by a few friends over a beer in a pub just outside Melbourne, Australia. The goal was simple – to create a campaign promoting the growth of the moustache among likeminded people and having fun along the way. It is about real men, talking about real issues and changing the face of men’s health, one moustache at a time. Movember now spans the globe, with campaigns in 21 countries in 2012.
The Movember Moustache has become the equivalent of the breast cancer pink ribbon for men’s health. 'Mo Bros', as participants are known, sporting upper lip hair, effectively become walking talking billboards for the 30 days of Movember raising funds and much needed awareness around the often ignored issues of men’s health.
In 2011, over 854,288 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas (the women that support them) raised over £79.3 million globally and over 254,000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raised over £22 million in the UK.
Mo Bros start the month clean shaven, then grow and groom their moustache all month long. Mo Bros and Mo Sistas can register to participate at www.movember.com
Funds raised in the UK are directed to programmes run by Movember and our men’s health partners Prostate Cancer UK and The Institute of Cancer Research.
Some key health facts
