It’s November, also known as Movember, and that means men around the world are getting hairy for charity. Just like “No Shave November,” Movember is an annual month-long event involving the growing of mustaches to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other male cancer initiatives.A group of men out of Melbourne, Australia, formed the Movember Foundation. It has inspired 1.9 million men to get mustachioed for the cause and has raised $299 million, according to the foundation’s website, movember.com.
Men who decide to participate become known as “Mo Bros,” as in men who started the month clean-shaven and grow a mustache throughout the month. The goal of the month-long event is to change the face of men’s health.
“Men are encouraged to start the month with a cleanly shaven canvas on which to grow their furry friend,” said Tony Hart, a Movember participant and DJ on Mix 108.
“At the end of the month Mo Bros and Mo Sistas (female supporters of the foundation) should get together and celebrate by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés around the world, the nearest being in Minneapolis Nov. 29,” said Hart on his Mix 108 blog. Listed in the 2012 Global Journal as one of the top 100 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in the world, Movember has been gaining global popularity since 2004.
For more information on the Foundation and ways to get involved, visit Mix108.com or movember.com.
BY KATIE LOKOWICH lokow003@d.umn.edu