November is the eleventh month in the Gregorian calendar, following October and preceding December. It consists of 30 days and is considered a fall month in the Northern Hemisphere, typically bringing cold weather in many countries.
Movember is a combination of two parts from the words (Mo) from mustache and (vember) from November. It is an annual event over the month that involves growing a mustache during November. A group of men from North Australia advocated for this event as a new invention since 1999. Since 2004, the nonprofit organization for the Movember event has launched it to raise social and financial awareness about men's health issues, such as prostate cancer and blood pressure, in Australia and New Zealand. In 2007, this event was launched in the Republic of Ireland, Canada, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The "Movember" Foundation has managed this charity initiative since 2004 to enhance awareness and donation levels regarding men's health care.
The Movember campaign urges men to undergo necessary health screenings continuously and encourages proper preventive measures against men's health and mental illnesses, along with taking correct treatment actions. Given that the mustache may spark much conversation, the founders of the Movember Movement considered it a way to raise awareness about the most serious diseases prevalent among men. The campaign's logo was easily chosen by the founders who first created this event in South Australia in 2003, using the universally recognized symbol of masculinity: the mustache.
The idea behind this campaign is simple: men who wish to participate must shave their beards on the first day of November and allow their mustache to grow until the last day of the month.
**Donations and Awareness**
Since the mustache can prompt many discussions, the founders of the Movember Movement thought of it as a means to raise awareness about some of the most serious diseases affecting men. In conversation between two men about one of their mustaches, they might highlight the dangers of diseases like prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues like depression and lack of physical activity.
Because men generally do not prioritize medical check-ups, participants in this month pledge to undergo these necessary screenings and encourage those around them about their importance. Additionally, this movement, which has evolved into a global organization, raises funds from male participants in the "mustache challenge." Friends and families of these men also support them by donating to the Movember initiative. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, affecting 6 out of 10 men over the age of 60. With the involvement of 5 million active members, the organization has successfully raised $600 million to fund 1,000 medical and academic programs focused on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health, and lack of physical activity. This movement is the largest non-governmental funder of prostate cancer research in the world.
**General Rules for Participating in Movember**
**Commitment**
Participants should stop using razors on November 1.
**No Beards**
The objective of the campaign is to grow mustache hair to create inquiries among people about the reason behind it, leading to discussions about the necessity of early health screenings for chronic and serious diseases.
**No Shaving, Just Trimming**
All you need to do is trim the mustache and excess hair around the jaw, chin, and neck, but you cannot shave the mustache hair.
**Support the Cause Sincerely**
It's important to play your role in this campaign by raising awareness and promoting the idea of early detection among men, not overlooking symptoms and warning signs.
**What to Do in Movember?**
This year's Movember comes with the slogan "Prevent early death in men," meaning that the mustaches grown by men and young men starting from the beginning of this month until the end are for raising awareness about men's health.
Of course, all men worldwide are called upon this month to grow mustaches and discuss the reasons behind it, alongside participating in sports activities. This, in itself, will help men live healthier, longer lives away from diseases, and the foundation hopes to reduce premature male deaths by about 25% by 2030.
We wish all men around the world good health, and Happy Movember to you all!
