Hawkesbury men sporting a little extra upper-lip hair this November may have more than a change of style in mind.
It is Movember, the annual campaign that turns growing a moustache into an opportunity to raise money and talk about men’s health.
Behind the sometimes impressive, sometimes decidedly patchy facial hair is a serious purpose: supporting work on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.
The international movement began with a simple challenge between Australian mates.
In Melbourne in 2003, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery were enjoying a beer when their conversation turned to fashion—and whether the moustache deserved a comeback.
They persuaded 30 men to grow a “mo” during November. That first year raised no money, but the whiskers attracted attention and sparked conversations.
The following year, the challenge became a fundraiser.
Adam Garone helped formalise the campaign and establish a website, while Justin Coghlan helped build participation in Queensland.
About $54,000 was raised for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, then the largest single donation the foundation had received.
The idea worked because a moustache gave people a reason to ask questions. A comment about someone’s new look could become a conversation about health, a request for a donation or a chance to check in with a mate.
From those 30 original participants, Movember grew into a worldwide movement supporting men’s health research and programs. Its name combines “moustache” with “November”.
For Hawkesbury workplaces, sporting clubs and groups of friends, the appeal is easy to understand: a little friendly rivalry over who can grow the best—or worst—moustache can help bring a difficult subject into everyday conversation.
Whether the result is a magnificent handlebar or a few hopeful whiskers, the value lies in what it starts.
A laugh about a mate’s moustache might be the opening needed to ask how he is really going.
To learn more, donate or get involved, visit au.movember.com.
