Movember: Welcome to Moustache Season
My grandfather was a fire department chief, and I can still remember him in his uniform – white hat, boots, heavy jacket and gloves. He was a hero to me. He was also a survivor of prostate cancer. Each of my other grandparents had cancer, and many of my friends and family, from 2 years old to 90. In fact, this is not uncommon – 1 of 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and 1 of 3 women. In fact, by the time you finish reading this post, 2 men will have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. And by the time you finish this post and visit my site, 1 man will have died from prostate cancer. In Movember, the month formerly known as November, we are focusing on men’s health issues. The ‘we’ is nearly 800,000 men (Mo Bro’s) and women (Mo Sistas) who have signed up worldwide to be part of a movement to highlight and help make progress on health issues that disproportionately affect men, such as certain types of cancer, diabetes, suicide and depression. So far, we’ve been part of raising nearly $43,000,000 this year alone. So welcome to moustache season:
The Mo Sistas in support of Movember
Every Movember men register at www.movember.com, start the month clean-shaven and grow a moustache for 30 days. The moustache becomes the hairy ribbon for men's health and the guys growing them become walking, talking billboards for the cause. To date, over 1.1 million men and women have supported Movember, raising $174 million through the power of the moustache.
"Movember is truly becoming a movement for men's health in the US," said Adam Garone, CEO and Co-Founder of Movember. "Through the simple act of growing a moustache, we are funding successful awareness and education programs through the Movember Foundation, research through our partner
Prostate Cancer Foundation, and support programs through our partner LIVESTRONG.”
Movember funds are hard at work. Thanks to support of their Mo Bros and Mo Sistas, Movember is funding a number of prolific outcomes in the US, including:
· PCF Research Program: Whole Genome Sequencing For the first time ever scientists have constructed a complete genetic map of prostate cancer.
· PCF Research Program: 25+ Subtypes of Prostate Cancer Researchers have identified 25+ subtypes of prostate cancer.
· LIVESTRONG Movember Partnership Initiative Providing free cancer navigation resources for any man affected by any cancer at any stage.
I am proud of the nearly 450 Microsoft employees, men and women, who have signed up to be part of this – people like Matt Bielich, who guides our Microsoft Mo “network”, Paul Redmond, my team captain, Kees Pronk, a fundraising machine, and Cynthia Snyder, Mo Sista extraordinaire who brought in pink moustaches for all the ladies. We all have our own reasons for participating. For me, I do it to honor the memory of my grandparents, I do it for myself and my family so I can enjoy a happy and healthy life, and I do it for all of our kids so that they might not have the specter of cancer haunting their futures.
It is easy for YOU to get involved. Start by visiting my site at https://mobro.co/slowmoshun – I would love for you to leave a comment, or a note of encouragement. You can also visit the main Movember site, or the Microsoft Movember site, to learn more about these health issues, the movement and what it takes to join or sign up your own team for next year. Look at starting an effort within your school, club, team, company, or even retirement community – there are groups from government agencies, universities, and private companies all growin’ and showin’ their new Mo’s.
Finally, if you happen to see someone sporting a brand new Mo, and perhaps seeming a bit uncomfortable, say hello - there’s a good chance they are one of my new MoBros! If it is a bright neon lime green moustache, it’s probably me…