Movember celebrated with Michael Ballard – Nov 26

Movember (a portmanteau word from moustache and “November”) is an annual, month-long event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other male cancer and associated charities.

The Movember Foundation runs the Movember charity event, housed at Movember.com. The goal of Movember is to “change the face of men’s health.”

By encouraging men (which the charity refers to as “Mo Bros”) to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. Besides getting an annual check-up, the Movember Foundation encourages men to be aware of any family history of cancer, and to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Since 2004, the Movember Foundation charity has run Movember events to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer and depression, in Australia and New Zealand. In 2007, events were launched in Ireland, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States.

It has spread from Australia to South Africa, Europe, and North America. As of 2011 Canadians were the largest contributors to the Movember charities of any nation. In 2010, Movember merged with the testicular cancer event Tacheback.

In 2012 the Global Journal listed Movember as one of the top 100 NGOs (non government organization) in the world.

ORIGINS

Seven Nightly News aired a story in 1999 featuring a group of young men in Adelaide, South Australia who coined the term “Movember” and the idea of growing moustaches for charity throughout the month of November. In the news report, members of the Adelaide-based “Movember Committee” explained how they came up with the idea for Movember one night in the pub. The group started with 80 men from Adelaide and soon became a nation wide phenomenon. They also aimed to raise money for the RSPCA through selling T-shirts in what they termed “Growing whiskers for whiskers”.

In 2004, an unrelated group in Melbourne, Victoria organised an event where 30 men would grow a moustache for 30 days in order to raise awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men. This group would later become the Movember Foundation charity.

The Movember Foundation has since raised $174-million worldwide, after spreading to South Africa and Europe, reaching North America in 2006. In 2010, participants in the United States alone raised over $7.5 million. In 2012, 1.1 million people signed up to participate, raising upwards of $95 million.

Ambassadors

Many high-profile sports people, celebrities, and dignitaries have supported the Movember Foundation, including Australian World Champion surfer Mick Fanning; author, columnist, and presenter Samantha Brett; Today sports presenter Cameron Williams; ex-Big Brother housemate Ryan Fitzgerald; Queensland cricket all-rounder Andrew Symonds; and several AFL players. NHL “tough guy” George Parros, alongside Bill McCreary, shaved his mustache to participate in the 2010 Movember event.

In 2009, many of the Australian rugby union team players were seen sporting moustaches during the Autumn Test Series. 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button started his support for Movember by showing off his blond moustache at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In 2010, some of the Montreal Canadiens were seen sporting moustaches during the month of November, with a video appearing on the Canadiens homepage, thus confirming the worldwide spread of Movember.

2011 Movember Ambassadors included Foster the People, Morgan Spurlock, George Parros of the Anaheim Ducks, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Connolly, Brody Jenner, Matt Leinart, Bloomberg TV’s Matt Miller, Mr. Clean, Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar, and Philip Bloom.

South Africa’s ambassador for Movember is rapper Jack Parow.

Movember is regularly supported by sporting organisations and celebrities in New Zealand, with names such as national rugby captain Richie McCaw[49] actively involved in supporting the charity.

Charities

Since 2004, the Movember Foundation charity has used Movember to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues in Australia and New Zealand. Monetary proceeds go toward the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, the Cancer Society and Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, and Beyond Blue.

In 2007, the Foundation launched campaigns in Canada (funds raised go to the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada), Spain (FEFOC), the United Kingdom (Prostate Cancer UK), and the United States (the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Livestrong Foundation).

In the US, Movember’s men’s health partners are The Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

In 2008, the Movember Foundation started the event in the Republic of Ireland. The beneficiary in that country is Action Prostate Cancer, an initiative of the Irish Cancer Society.

A non-foundation Movember event has been held in the Cayman Islands by a “MOvember Committee” since 2006. The event has been sponsored by CML Offshore Recruitment and raises funds for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society.

Similar events

Since the Vietnam War era, US Air Force members worldwide have participated in Mustache March, where Airmen grow mustaches in defiance of facial hair regulations. Many men and women participate in an international event called No Shave November (with its own portmanteau word “Noshember“). Its main purpose is for fun or competition and there is no relation to Movember, but a few groups claim to pre-date Movember.

Unlike Movember, both men and women participate in the month-long event, with men abstaining from shaving their beards, and women their armpits or legs. Like Movember participants, “Noshemberers” also often do fundraising for charities, though it is not as well organized and supported as Movember.

A Celebration of Women™ is celebrating the Men of our World this November, too!

Our very own Michael Ballard will share his experience, knowledge, strength and hope on the key life subject of RESILIENCE, a definite addition to a man’s success. Should we get Michael to start growing his mustouche now ?

REGISTER HERE ONLINE TODAY!

International Man of Movember

The International Man of Movember is chosen from 21 national winners all over the world to wear the crown and be the face of Movember for a whole year. Each national Man of Movember winner is voted in at that particular country’s main Gala Parté, held at the end of November, by both judges and fans.

The very first champion was Mark Knight from London in 2010. South Africa’s Anton Taylor won the title in 2011, and in 2012 it was Chris Thwaites from New Zealand who won the coveted sash.

WHO will win that coveted sash in 2013 — what are your thoughts?