Every November men across the world are united by one thing: growing mustaches to raise men’s cancer awareness.
The West Virginia University Snowboarding Club is joining this worldwide phenomenon with their participation in the appropriately named month of Movember.
Movember, the month formerly known as November, is very simple. Participants, or Mo Bros, start out Nov. 1 clean-shaven and then have the remainder of the month to grow a mustache. The mustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men.
“Participating in Movember is fun because you grow a mustache but you are also doing something good, which is even better,” said Judd Waldo, a Morgantown native and 2009 graduate of WVU.
Movember got its start in Australia in 2003 where the common slang term for mustache is “mo.” This is the fourth year the U.S. is participating in Movember. Last year 28,000 men in the U.S. raised $3.2 million.
WVU’s Snowboarding Club grew 68 “mos” and raised $1,900 for the cause. All proceeds from Movember go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
“I definitely encourage everyone to donate to the cause, even if you do not grow a mustache. The money benefits great foundations and this is a unique opportunity to spread men’s cancer awareness,” Waldo said.
Waldo feels Movember is more than just the fun of growing a mustache; participation numbers grow every year as more and more men help promote cancer awareness. As numbers increase men are becoming more aware of their health. Thirty-nine percent of last year’s U.S. participants sought medical help by getting physical exams.
But the guys don’t get to have all the fun, Mo Sistas, women who love mustaches and support Mo Bros, are a very important factor in Movember. Mo Sistas help recruit Mo Bros, raise funds for the cause and attend the Gala Part�s.
Mo Bros are encouraged to come to the Gala Part�s, which celebrate the culmination of Movember, dressed in theme according to the “mo” they have grown. Participants compete at each Part� for the prestigious Man of Movember title. WVU’s Gala Part� is held at a location downtown, and the snowboard club and bar split the profits from the night.
In 2009, global participation of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas climbed to 255,755, with over one million donors raising $42 million U.S. equivalent dollars for Movember’s global beneficiary partners.
For more information on WVU’s Snowboard Club participation in Movember visit http://www.wvu.edu/~snowboardteam/movember/index.html. To register, go online to http://us.movember.com/register/4030 sign up under the name Team MOuntaineers.
-WVU-
kep/10/27/10
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