Why Movember Matters

It’s a staggering statistic: one in four Canadians is expected to die from cancer. And whether or not you’re lucky enough to be one of the three who don’t, it’s likely cancer will touch your family members, friends and co-workers in some way.

Cancer has reared its ugly head in my family more than once, but Movember — and its affiliated cause, prostate cancer — has never meant as much to me as it does this year.

My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year. Fortunately, doctors caught it early, during testing for an unrelated issue. And while his particular cancer was aggressive, because they caught it so early, it required only surgery to remove it. No radiation, no chemo, just regular follow-up exams. It was a huge blessing in what can often be a long, hard journey. Others aren’t as lucky.

One in eight men find out too late that they’ve got prostate cancer, which accounts for about one quarter of all new cancer cases in men. In fact, prostate cancer is among the four most common cancers in Canada (along with lung, breast and colorectal cancers). According to the Canadian Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and is responsible for 30% of all deaths.

How Movember Matters to Prostate Cancer Research

The good news is that education, awareness and research are helping to reduce those numbers — particularly in the case of prostate cancer. And a lot of that advancement has happened because of Movember.

Since 2003, when it started in Australia, Movember has been working to save and improve the lives of men affected by prostate cancer by fundraising for research and programming around the world. Sure, it might seem trivial to grow a little facial hair, but the fundraising component that goes along with it is making a big difference.

The worldwide Movember community of 4 million participants has raised $574 million to date, which has helped to fund over 800 programs in 21 countries, including cutting-edge Canadian research on more effective diagnostic tools.

Whether or not you’re predisposed to growing facial hair, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas (aka men and women who support Movember) can fundraise with friends and family for any Canadian charity through our Giving Groups. So you can support Movember Canada, Prostate Cancer Canada or any charity (or multiple charities) that are important to you and your stache supporters.

Need a little musical inspiration to kick off your Movember? Vancouverites p.d. wohl and Ryan McLean have released the Grow Your Mo song to encourage everyone to grow their stache and raise some cash this month.

Ready to start your Movember Giving Group? Talk to us, we can help!

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-877-531-0580