The month of November is upon us, and this is the time of year where your male co-workers and friends are going to start off clean-shaven and baby-faced, and by the time Thanksgiving gets here they will look like Vikings with those gnarly full mustaches and beards. The reason these guys are growing out their facial hair has nothing to do with a right of passage, mid-life crisis, or just laziness, it is in fact Movember, or more commonly known as No-Shave November. It has become customary for men to grow out their facial hair for 30 days to help raise awareness for cancer. Guys not only have the chance to show off their goatees, mustaches, and mutton chops, they get to bring awareness to different types of cancer in men that are on the rise across the country.
So What Exactly is Movember All About?
The concept of No-Shave November, also known as Movember, began back in 2003 in Australia to help bring awareness to testicular and prostate cancers. The Movember Foundation that began at the same time, claimed in 2013 when the campaign started that they were able to raise over $21 million dollars for cancer research. The reason this foundation though that growing out the mustache was such a unique way to bring awareness to these cancers was because when you change your appearance, you can easily strike up new conversations. Men who are not accustomed to having facial hair that now sport this new look are easily approachable by others concerned about the new appearance. This opens the door to talking about testicular and prostate cancers. The campaign today is recognized in over 21 countries and continues to reach further around the globe in just a few short years.
How Does No-Shave November Work?
The way that the No-Shave November campaign works is quite simple in fact. The organization encourages men of all ages to stop shaving their facial hair for the full 30 days of November. During the time that you are not shaving, the organization is encouraging men to donate the money that they would have spent to groom their faces to the American Cancer Society. The ACS became a partner in 2014, and now all donations are forwarded to the company for research in the areas of testicular and prostate cancer. Participants in Movember can grow out their mustaches or beards, and keep track of all the money saved by not trimming their facial hair. This includes buying razors, shaving cream, moisturizers, and trips to the barber shop too. Donations are expected to reach new highs in 2015 as more people are aware of the campaign.
How Do I Participate in Movember?
To participate in Movember you shave for the last time on Halloween night, October 31, 2015. Now that you have a cleanly shaven face, you simply are going to donate your face to this wonderful cause for a full 30 days. That means no shaving, no cutting, no trimming your facial hair until the last night of November. Basically, you are going to become what looks like a fuzzy billboard for cancer research and awareness. The more your facial hair grows and the more people question why you look like you feel out of the Stone Age, the more opportunities you have to strike up the conversation about cancer and encourage others to do the same or make a donation to the American Cancer Society. Once you are committed to the cause, keep close track of every dollar you are not spending to keep your face cleanly shaved. Whether you spend $20 a month on razors or $100 per salon visit, the money donated will be going to a very worthy cause, helping cancer patients, their families, and future research.
What If I Can’t Grow a Mustache?
Yes, there are some guys who simply can not get those hair follicles to cooperate, and if they go a few days without shaving it looks like a mess of patches throughout their facial area. The Movember campaign is not about growing the absolute perfect mustache, it is about bringing attention to your face in a way that will get people talking. If your mustache is full of bare spots and looks like a weak version of Grizzly Adams, go for it anyway. Chances are somebody is going to ask you what is going on with your face, and you have the opportunity to become the ambassador of this cause by bringing a whole new group of people into the fold. The chief executive of the American Mustache Institute, Adam Paul Cousgrove, says that every mustache is in fact unique in its own way, like snowflake. Let your hair grow and focus on getting more people talking, you can get back to shaving in a few weeks.
Why Is This Campaign So Important?
The Movember campaign is similar to breast cancer awareness in October, trying to make people aware that this cancer epidemic is growing at alarming rates. In the United States alone, prostate cancer had an estimated 232,000 new cases just in the year 2014, making it one of the most common of all cancers. Prostate cancer currently is accounting for approximately 14% of all new cancer cases that are discovered this year. The bigger and more terrifying news is that in the year 2015 there are going to be 29,000 people who are going to die from prostate cancer. At 5% of all the cancer deaths this year, the American Cancer Society is hoping that the Movember campaign can help to bring those numbers way down. As far as testicular cancer, the ACS claims of the 8,800 people diagnosed with the disease last year that around 400 of them will die due to that cancer.
So What Happens If I Want to Stop Shaving for Good?
As the end of the month of November approaches, you may find that you have grown a fondness for your new facial hair. Not only does it make you look rugged and rough, the ladies are looking at you in a whole new light. So what happens as No-Shave November comes to a close and you love your new look? For one thing you can learn all about it on beardoholic and also you are going to make the American Mustache Institute extremely happy. They encourage guys to maintain that rugged hearty look, and talk about cancer awareness for many months after the mainstream media has packed up their bags and moved on to other stories. If you love your new mustache, wear it proudly and tell the world what led to your transformation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that cancer is currently the 2nd leading cause of death, only heart disease kills more people in the United States. In 2014 a total of 1.6 million people were diagnosed with some form of cancer, and the 580,000 that will die from the disease could still be alive with early detection. The No-Shave November campaign should help men to see this is not something they want to fool around with. You can do you part by helping to bring attention to caner research by not shaving during the entire month of November, and making this an annual tradition that will help many men around the world to catch this disease before it is too late.
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