By Sam Normand
Things are getting hairy at Loyalist College.
Some students and staff are growing facial hair as part of the Movember movement, aimed at promoting men’s health.
The movement aims to improve awareness of prostate cancer, a topic which is often ignored, according to the movement’s website.
What originally started with a small group in Melbourne, Australia, has grown into a worldwide campaign.
Globally, the campaign has grown from just 30 people in 2003 to approximately 450,000 registered participants in 2010.
“I don’t normally grow facial hair,” said Kyle Vesh, a second-year electrical techniques student. “But if It’s for a good cause, why not? We can all use a bit of class.”
Campaigners, referred to as “Mo’ Bro’s”, are encouraged to use their facial hair to gain sponsors in order to raise funds for prostate cancer research, as well as spread awareness of the disease.
Each Mo Bro is a walking billboard for the month long campaign, with Bro’s waxing and styling their moustaches in order to better grab the attention of any who will listen.
Bro’s have to start the month clean shaven, and are encouraged to take pictures as their moustaches progress through the month in order to show off their facial hair.
After the 30 days, Mo Bro’s get together to celebrate, either at their own parties or at one of Movember’s organized gatherings.
The money raised by Movember participants is donated to various organizations which promote men’s health.
Once such project is the Canadian Prostate Cancer Genome Project, which is made possible by funds from the Movember campaign.
The project hopes to crack the genetic code for individual men in order to predict their risk for prostate cancer, as well as how best to treat individual cases.
While the project is co-ordinated at the Princes Margaret Hospital in Toronto, it is a collaborative effort with researchers across the globe.
“We are extremely grateful to all the Canadians from coast to coast who participate in Movember. Acknowledging the importance of raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer – a disease that afflicts 1 in 7 Canadian men – is changing the way we talk about, treat, test and survive prostate cancer.” says Steve Jones, CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada.
To date, Movember has raised over $176 million.
Follow the QNet News reporters and editors below as they undertake a quest to grow a moustache and raise money. Stay tuned.
