It’s Time to Grow the ‘Stache

Story & video: Sarah Golan
The month of November is synonymous with chilly weather, Remembrance Day and mustaches. Movember is an annual tradition that challenges men to shave their entire face on November 1 and grow a mustache for the entire month. This 30-day commitment helps raise awareness and money towards prostate cancer.
The idea was created in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The plan was to not only support men’s health, but to have fun while doing it. Inspired by the many women’s charities for breast cancer, Movember turned into a global men’s health movement and is now supported in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands and Finland.
The funds raised through Movember’s Canadian campaign go directly to Prostate Cancer Canada which helps fund critical research that will lead to better screening tests and treatment options and to run support services for men surviving prostate cancer.
Fouth-year UOIT Criminology student, Nur Osman, believes this project is a great way to create positive attention.
“I’ve had some relatives affected by cancer, so I thought it would be a great to raise awareness and support this cause,” said Osman. “October was breast cancer awareness month and a bunch of the baseball guys were supporting that. In turn, for November a bunch of us shaved our faces and are growing mustaches for this.”
First-year Criminology student at UOIT, Robert Kaehler is also supporting the cause by growing his ‘stashe.
“Prostate cancer can affect any man, even myself,” said Kaehler. “It could happen to absolutely anyone, so the more awareness raised about it, the better chances there are of better funding, and better chances of us beating it.”
Students aren’t the only ones supporting this month’s cause. City and Regional Councillor of Oshawa, Tito-Dante Marimpeitri also is and he wants citizens to join him.

Marimpietri is challenging Durham College, UOIT and Trent to come up with their own team names for Movember and to message him on Facebook to get involved.