It’s Mo time: 17th annual Movember campaign kicks off

It’s officially moustache season.

Movember’s 17th annual campaign has kicked off, encouraging people across the country to rally in support of men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.  

Globally, men die on average 4.5 years earlier than women, and according to Movember Canada, it’s due to reasons that are largely preventable.

So, the organization set out on a mission to stop men dying too young.

“The month of Movember is globally recognized for its fun, disruptive approach to fundraising and the unique ways it prompts men to take action for their health,” said Movember Canada.

Breaking down the facts:

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadian men aged 15–44 years.
• In Canada, 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
• Each year more than 4,000 men die from prostate cancer in Canada.
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young Canadian men.
• In Canada, 3 in 4 suicides are men.

If you want to join the Movember movement, you can participate in the following ways:

GROW A MO: Patchy, lopsided, itchy or epic – whatever Mo you grow this Movember, your face will raise funds and awareness for men’s health.

MOVE FOR MOVEMBER: Commit to running or walking 60km over the month, at your own pace. That’s 60km for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour across the world.

HOST A MO-MENT: Rally a crew and do something fun and easy. Hosting is all about having a good time for a good cause.

MO YOUR OWN WAY: Create your own challenge – it can be anything. A gruelling test of physical endurance or something else entirely. Your epic efforts will help change the face of men’s health. “At Movember, we’re committed to changing the face of men’s health — literally and figuratively. This year alone, we’ve been able to invest in life-changing programs that are proving to make a difference in the lives of men; including projects targeting our incredible first responder community, continuing to support the mental health of isolated indigenous men, and providing a new, online resource for men going through a testicular cancer diagnosis, says Todd Minerson. “We couldn’t do it without our supporters. All this is only made possible by the amazing Movember community that continues to rally behind Movember every year. We’re having fun while doing good, and we are doing a lot of good.”

Since 2003, more than six million Mo Bros and Mo Sisters across 20 countries have joined the movement, helping to fund over 1,250 innovative men’s health projects.