Sideways News

In two years, Movember has raised over £3 million, funding prostate cancer research

If you do one thing, grow a moustache (men only) in November to highlight men’s health.

The Movember Foundation emerged from a group of men in Australia who, in 2003, decided to each grow a moustache for a month. It began as a challenge to bring back the 'tache but, a year later, the movement became a fundraising event in aid of prostate cancer.

Movember has since taken off - expanding to the UK, Spain, New Zealand and Cananda. Moustaches are – for one month at least – cool once more.

A lack of awareness
According to the Movember Foundation, issues around men’s health are largely down to a lack of awareness, so the Movember movement aims not only to raise money but also to raise awareness.

Prostate cancer, a risk mainly for men over 50, should be tested for annually. It is curable if detected early, yet many men never have this test. Movember hopes to be a much-needed reminder, "changing the face" of men’s health, literally and metaphorically.

Movember ambitions
In just two years, Movember has raised over £3 million, funding research into prostate cancer and setting up a cancer helpline for support and advice. In 2005, the charity ran Prostate Cancer Awareness month for the first time.

"At the end of last year, we launched an ambitious strategy, setting out key changes we must see in men’s experience of prostate cancer by 2020," said John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity.

"Movember will be an essential part of achieving these changes, enabling us to fight prostate cancer on every front - through research, support, information and campaigning."

Know your mo, bro
38% of participants - known as "Mo Bros" - have encouraged someone to seek advice after taking part in the campaign. While 82% talked about men’s health with family, friends or work colleagues.

"Movember is helping to spread the word about prostate cancer," Neate told Sideways News. "Historically, the disease has suffered from neglect, with long-term underfunding of prostate cancer research, especially compared to other common cancers such as breast cancer."

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