Your attention, for a mo

It's a movement you're unlikely to read about in the House's latest health care bill (a topic I wouldn't touch here with a ten foot pole), but for my money the most enjoyable story in global health this month is the return of Movember.

For the second time in three years, I will be joining men around the world this month in growing a moustache to raise funds and awareness for men's health issues - specifically, prostate and testicular cancer.  Movember ("mo" from moustache, "vember" from...you get the idea) began in 2003 with a group of about 30 men in Melbourne, Australia who thought it would be funny to grow moustaches while raising money for a good cause.  In six short years, it has exploded into a global movement with nearly 200,000 participants.  This year, funds raised in the US will benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation as well as the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

So what does growing a moustache have to do with prostate cancer?  Well, think of it as a conversation piece.  Each participant begins the month clean shaven, and as his "mo" grows, it becomes a walking advertisement for talking about men's health issues.  It may sound ridiculous, but in this way the moustache acts as a symbol, much in the same way that the pink ribbon has come to represent breast cancer.  The event is about raising funds, yes, but in a much larger way it's simply about creating awareness.

The Movember Foundation's website puts it in much more thorough terms:

"By and large, men are known to be more apathetic towards their health, especially when compared with the efforts of women, who proactively and publicly address their health issues in a way not traditionally seen with men. The result today is that the levels of awareness, understanding, and funding that support cancers affecting men lag significantly behind causes such as breast and cervical cancers.

Statistics show that, on average, men die at a younger age than women – the average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (for Caucasians) and seven years less for African American men compared to African American women. That said, despite lagging behind the women’s health movement, the tides are beginning to turn and established taboos and barriers relating to men’s health are gradually being broken down.

In order to close the gap between the state of men and women’s health, more progress needs to be made.  Men are much less likely to make and keep up with doctor appointments, thereby  denying them the chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases.   Studies have shown that men don’t get regular health checks for the following reasons:

- Scared it will lead to a hospital visit
- Embarrassed to discuss their health issues
- Find it too hard to see a doctor because they just can’t fit it into their schedule
- Just can’t be bothered making an appointment

The reasons for the poor state of men’s health in the US and around the world are numerous and complex but what is known, is that it is mainly due to a lack of awareness of the health issues men face. This can largely be attributed to the reluctance of men to openly discuss the subject due to longstanding traditions, coupled with an ‘it’ll be alright’ attitude.  

Movember aims to change the face of men’s health and alter this way of thinking by putting a fun twist on this serious issue. Using the moustache as a catalyst, we want to bring about change and give men the opportunity and confidence to talk about their health more openly.

Movember has an interest in all issues relating to men’s health but currently concentrates its efforts in the US on raising awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancer.  The funds raised by Movember in the US are split evenly between our two beneficiary partners - the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Movember's first campaign objective is to raise awareness of men's health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer. We want everyone to know that men over the age of 50, and those over 40 with a family history, are at risk of prostate cancer and encourage them to be tested annually because it is highly curable if detected and treated early. We want all men to know that testicular cancer is the most common cancer affecting men aged 18 – 35 and to be aware of the symptoms.

Movember’s aim is to increase early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment, as this will ultimately reduce the number of deaths from prostate and testicular cancer."

Whether or not you agree with all the assertions made above, I think we can agree that awareness about any health issues can only be a good thing.  So while I'm not asking you to support my effort specifically, I would invite you to follow along on my personal blog (www.toyourdoor.blogspot.com) and to find out more about Movember at the Movember Foundation homepage.  And then, if you feel so compelled, feel free to make a donation - in anyone's name - to support the cause.