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Reviewed by: Charyl Villar
I didn’t know that – did you?
HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT
I never knew that the entire Movember movement was hatched by two friends in a pub in Melbourne Australia, way back in 2003. As the story goes, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery were (over a couple of beers) bemoaning the fact that the beloved moustache was all but dead in the water as a fashion statement. Knowing how trends have a way of re-emerging over time, they plotted to create a resurgence of the hallowed ‘crumb catcher’.
HOW IT WORKS
They coerced 30 of their friends to join them in their plight. Inspired by one of the guys’ mothers who was fundraising for breast cancer, they decided to make the campaign about men’s health and prostate cancer. They designed the rules of Movember (which are still in place today) and agreed to charge members $10 to grow a moustache during the month of November, the proceeds of which would go towards raising awareness for prostate and testicular cancers.
LOOK HOW FAR IT’S COME
By 2018, the Movember Foundation was ranked 45th out of the top 500 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) around the world, with over 6 million Mo Bros and Mo Sister members.
So well recognised globally, even an Emoji (emoticon) was created in honor of the Movember movement, to recognise the ongoing study and fight against prostate cancer and other male diseases.
CANADA’S CONTRIBUTION
The Canadian arm of the foundation was founded in 2011 and in Movember 2020 alone, raised $24.8 million for the cause.
HEALTH CANADA APPROVED
In 2019 FDA approval was granted to two drugs (Olaparib and Rucaparib) and August 2020, Health Canada approved Olaparib (under the name Lynparza) to treat advanced prostate cancer. Research which had been funded by the Movember Foundation. Also in 2020, the Foundation announced the continued funding for the development of the PUR test (Prostate Urine Risk) which indicates to doctors which men are likely to need active treatment within the next five years.
GROW IT. SHOW IT. SUPPORT IT.
What a remarkable ever-evolving story borne of a simple quest to revive the hairy upper lip.