CHB Goes Mo for Movember

Nearly a decade ago, a couple of guys from Australia thought it would be a top-notch idea to grow themselves a moustache over the course of November. In doing so, they hoped that by clothing their upper lip they would raise awareness, support and funding for men’s health issues. Little did they know how going all Tom Selleck for 30 days would have calendars around the world rewritten to include the month now known as Movember!

With us at CHB always being keen to grow a little facial hair for charity, I’m stoked to be rocking a soup strainer for the month – just wish a few more of us would step up to the plate!

To participate, I shaved off my trustee goatee – would’ve confused me with Matt Lee afterwards – and pledged to continue to grow my flavour saver for a solid 30 days. Now sure, my fiancée isn’t too thrilled with the proposition and I’ve noticed a few people giving me the raised eyebrow, but I was blown away by some of the statistics on men’s health:

• The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women
• 1 in 5 Canadian men will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime
• The male suicide rate is 4 times higher than that of women
• 2 in 5 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• 1 in 7 men in Canada will develop prostate cancer
• Close to 4,000 Canadian men die of prostate cancer annually

Wow! Fortunately I’m not alone in my efforts.

Beyond close to a million participants in Movember globally, the Vancouver Canucks have stepped up to the challenge and are sporting the Mo! Having been an organization with some epic moustaches in their time – Harold Snepsts, case closed – the team has made a friendly wager with the Canadiens to see which fan base can raise the most cash.

Betcha you’re curious as to how you can support now, right? While starting your moustache a week in to November is kind of cheating, we’d obviously look the other way if you were to still sign-up on movember.com. But the easier and more honourable way would be a donation of any kind to Movember on my behalf!

Funds raised by the organization are invested in to programs related to prostate cancer and men’s mental health facilitated by Prostate Cancer Canada – very honourable causes! In fact, Movember donations are the largest non-government donation towards prostate cancer research globally! And it also helps that you’ll receive a tax receipt for your donation.

Convinced now? Just follow do what the moustache tells you and J.J. won’t get hurt!