As October faded into November, the pink ribbons and badges welcomed new friends into their midst: the blue ribbons and badges. And just like that, Movember arrived at NES.
If you think of Movember, you’ll most probably recall the iconic curly mustache that encourages men to grow their mustaches to raise awareness and start conversations on testicular and prostate cancer, as well as on male mental health issues. The brainchild of two Australians having a chat on a G’day in 2003, it has grown to be one of the most influential charities regarding men’s health, leading them to be part of the top 100 NGOs worldwide. Their mission? “To change the face of men’s health.”
Movember focuses on the cancers that exclusively affect men: testicular and prostate cancer. Prostate cancer has a rate of 1.2 million new cases every year worldwide; 1 in 8 men in the UK will fight it in their lifetime, with one man losing his fight every forty-five minutes. In fact, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer found in men worldwide after lung cancer. Testicular cancer has a rate of 686,000 new cases worldwide each year, and one difference with prostate cancer is that it mostly affects young men under thirty five, meaning children, teens and young adults are at higher risk. Luckily, both cancers are mostly treatable with 99% and 95% five year survival rates respectively. However, the Movember foundation is relentless in promoting awareness, funding research, and making sure care is available to everyone who needs it. They have funded over 1,250 health projects, many of them leading to exciting developments worldwide.
Another very important component of Movember’s work is to promote male mental health awareness. Every single minute worldwide, one man dies by suicide, with men being more likely to commit suicide than women. In fact, between ages 15-34, suicide is the second highest cause of death in men in the USA. Therefore, it is easy to see why Movember strives to promote conversations about male mental health, as well as funding research to help men all around the world.
At NES, we celebrate Movember by growing out our mustaches (those of us who can) and raising money via ribbons, badges, doughnuts and lemonade. On Blue day in sixth form, we got to accessorize in blue as well as enjoy blue-themed food. With all of our help, the Social Committee raised close to 250 KD in the Movember of 2019, all of which has gone towards Movembers efforts and projects. It is truly wonderful as always to observe the selfless and compassionate nature of NES students, who never fail to raise money for important causes.
The most compelling and heartwarming aspect of writing this article was the stories of men I came across. Seeing how Movember has positively impacted so many men worldwide- how so many men have had their lives saved by this foundation- truly added to the gravity of the importance of donating and raising awareness for these issues.
So, next Movember, as you don that blue ribbon and gobble up that blue doughnut, know that thanks to you, someone somewhere is getting the help they need and deserve. Rest assured my friend, you’re saving lives, one curly mustache at a time.
Be sure to check out Movember’s website to learn more about their mission and get involved!
