« Movember »
Wear a mustache and fight cancer!
Lucie Petitprez and Marcus Vogt
The
beginning of the month of November is also the beginning of the global
project “Movember” in order to warn men about prostate cancer.
Did
you say “Movember”? Movember, a portmanteau from the diminutive “mo” of
mustache and the month November, is an annual month-long event when
millions of men around the world grow mustaches to raise awareness about
men's health issues, notably prostate cancer.
The
term “Movember” goes back to one night in 1999 in a pub in Adelaide,
South Australia, when a group of young men came up with the idea of
growing mustaches for charity in November. Soon after, “Movember” became
a nationwide event. Today the Movember Foundation, which was founded in
2004, has already raised $174 million worldwide and has millions of
followers around the world in places as far away as South Africa, Europe
and North America.
It’s
easy to participate in the event: on the first day of “Movember”, the
participants, called “Mo Bros”, upload a picture of their shaved faces
on « www.movember.com ». During the rest of the month they must grow and
groom a mustache to show the world their attachment in fighting cancer.
Using the power of the mustache to create conversations about men’s
health, the Mo Bros have to raise funds for the foundation. Last but not
least, each Mo Bro must behave like a true gentlemen.
According
to Movember activist Mark Leruste this “fashionable and social”
movement is one of the best ways to raise awareness about prostate
cancer. The project’s popularity has grown thanks to the involvement of
many celebrities, especially sports stars. In Canada, two hockey teams
chose to grow mustaches and changed the names of their teams to
“Prostate” and “Testicle”! Many American football players have also
joined the cause. Last year, in France, the movement was represented by
celebrities like the players of the Racing-Métro 92 or ex-footballer Grégory Coupet.
The famous French engineering school Ecole Centrale Marseille
will also participate in the “Movember” movement thanks to the student
association CheerUp. This group has two main goals: offering support to
cancer patients and raising awareness about cancer. During the month of
November, they will focus their activity on the Movember movement and
organize special events. An information day about prostate cancer and
skin cancer will take place on 18 November when CheerUp members will
explain the importance of prevention routines for these taboo illnesses.
Their actions will include distributing flyers and organizing an
afternoon tea party. All through the month, students are invited to post
photos of their own mustaches on the association’s Facebook page and
“the most beautiful, most carefully groomed and most liked mustaches”
will win prizes. Here is the link to their event:
To conclude, mustaches up, gentlemen!
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