The hairiest month of the year is almost here! Join the global movement helping men live happier, healthier, longer lives, Movember. Sign up as a Mo Bro or Mo Sista at www.za.movember.com
For 30 days in the month formerly known as November, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas around the world will be rallying to raise funds and awareness for the often ignored issues surrounding men’s health.
“Men are facing a health crisis that isn’t being talked about. We have to make a stand and stop men dying too young, before their time,” says Garron Gsell, chief executive and founder of the Men’s Foundation, which manages the Movember campaign in South Africa under license from the Movember Foundation.
The Movember Foundation is the leading global men’s health charity, funding over 1,200 men’s health projects in 21 countries worldwide – focused on men’s health initiatives, suicide prevention and testicular and prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer rates will double in the next 15 years. Testicular cancer rates have already doubled in the last 50 years, while three quarters of suicides are men. Poor mental health leads to half a million men taking their own life every year. That’s one every minute.
According to the World Health Organisation close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. For every suicide, there are many more people who attempt suicide every year. Suicide in the second leading cause of death amongst 15 – 29 year-olds.
In South Africa, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, while male suicide accounts for approximately 18 deaths a day.
Currently, men in South Africa have a life expectancy that is seven years’ shorter than that of women. The Men’s Foundation aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25% by 2030.
“We have a long way to go until no man dies of these diseases. Our sons, partners, fathers, brothers and friends are facing these challenges and we need your help,” says Gsell.
This year’s campaign encourages everyone to be the difference in a man’s life, whether it’s your own health or that of your father, partner, brother or mate, by encouraging men to start the conversations, get tested and become more physically active.
Visit www.za.movember.com to choose how you’d like to make a difference.
Mo Bro’s are encouraged to start 1 Movember clean shaven. Grow throughout the month, and get some serious funds behind the men who need it most.
Mo Sistas, make a difference in the lives of the men in your life! Get behind the Mo Bro’s in your life, adopt a Mo Bro in the office, help organise the teams, auction off their moustaches, or get a little creative and organise an event. Anything to attract attention and raise funds while having fun.
Mo Bro’s or Mo Sistas, do something good for you, while doing something great for men’s health. Move this Movember, and you can be the difference in a man’s life. Walk, run, cycle, swim or row. A little or a lot. Solo or in a team. It’s not about being the fittest or going the furthest. It’s about havin’ fun, doin’ good, by raising funds along the way.
“The current reality is that government funding primarily focuses on women, children and the elderly, and there are very good reasons for this,” Gsell says. “What that means is that if we want to help men, then we have to rely on the private and public sectors to donate and invest in programmes that will make a difference.”
In South Africa, the Men’s Foundation is developing their own programmes as well as collaborating with their beneficiary partners and the Prostate Cancer Foundation to identify, develop and fund men’s survivorship and research programmes that meet the global objectives of the Movember Foundation.
Sign up as a Mo Bro or Mo Sista. Grow a Mo. Support a Bro. Take the MOVE 100 challenge. Host and attend an event. Help spread awareness and education about men’s health. All past Mo Bro’s and Mo Sistas need to re-register.
For more info, visit www.za.movember.com to download the Movember app on your mobile device. Follow Movember on social media: @MovemberRSA on Twitter or facebook/MovemberSouthAfrica.
It’s time to take action:
- Sign up to help raise awareness and make a difference. Grow a Mo, Host and attend an event, or MOVE to fundraise at za.movember.com. Get growing. Grow and groom your moustache for 30 days.
- Start a Team, get the people in your workplace to join you. Have fun.
- Set a fundraising target. Create a JustGiving page so your supporters can find you.
- MOVE for men’s health. Beat your personal best and get your friends to sponsor you.
- Mo Sistas, adopt a Mo Bro or commit to MOVE for the month alongside your hairier halves. Have fun and get creative in the workplace.
Take your moustache to the next level:
- Been growing a beard? Summer’s the second biggest reason to sacrifice your beard for men’s health issues.
- Sport a classic moustache. From the humble but gutsy Lame Mo to the fully fledged Handlebar. Select your choice from the moustache guide
- Style it. Trim it. Keep it neat.
- Dedicate your Mo to someone who has been impacted by cancer.
Auction off your moustache to the highest donor