The Story Behind No-Shave November & Movember
While October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, November is centered on men’s health issues such as testicular, prostate, and colon cancer.
No Shave November and Movember are two of the biggest foundations to support men’s cancer research and awareness, raising millions of dollars between them.
Though No-Shave November and Movemeber are separate organizations, their concept is the same. During the month of November, men are asked to forgo shaving in order to “grow” awareness and donations for cancer research, education, and prevention.
We at Whole Health want to take this time to show our support for both No-Shave November and the Movember Foundation by sharing their back-story and how to participate in their fight against men’s health issues!
The Story Behind No-Shave November
This charitable organization was created by the Hills, a family of 8 siblings from Chicago who lost their father (Matthew Hill) in 2007. After their loss, they created No-Shave November, a small Facebook campaign to raise money for charity.
Since then, No-Shave November has teamed up with the American Cancer Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and St. Jude’s to raise millions of dollars in funds for cancer research and awareness.
The Story Behind Movember
Similar to No-Shave November, two friends created the Movember Foundation after one of their mothers was battling cancer at the time. This inspired them to raise awareness for men’s health issues, primarily prostate and testicular cancer.
This Australian based nonprofit, which raised nearly $21 million in 2013, has expanded its campaign to address other concerns like men’s mental health and men’s fitness.
The Rules
No-Shave November
The rules of No-Shave November are simple: don’t shave for 30 days and donate all the money you would spend on razors, shaving cream/butter, and haircuts to the cause. Women can also participate by skipping wax appointments or salon visits this month.
If you can’t grow an unruly beard because of work, you can still participate. No-Shave November says that grooming and trimming is perfectly acceptable.
Movember
Instead of refusing to shave completely, Movemeber is all about the mustache. The goal is to grow and groom a mustache for the entire month of November.
"What we're asking them to do is participate by changing their appearance. What that fosters is a conversation,” said Movember’s U.S. Director Mark Hedstrom. This gives men the opportunity to explain why they're growing a mustache and how to prevent these deadly men’s health issues.
Other Ways to Get Involved
If you can’t physically grow a beard, that’s not a problem. Here are some other ways you can get involved:
Donate: Both No-Shave November and Movember put your donation dollars to work by helping out cancer patients and their families or investing in groundbreaking cancer research funded programs. Sponsor your friends and family who are participating or just make a general donation.
Here are the links if you are interested:
Post on Social Media: Part of these organization's success is due to the influence of social media. Take some time to post you or your loved one growing a beard/mustache and explain the importance of their efforts.
Make sure to use relevant hashtags like #noshavenovember, #movember, #letitgrow, or #menshealth.
Educate Your Loved Ones: Some people may scroll right past your post so we encourage everyone to speak to their loved ones in person. Use Movember’s ALEC approach - Ask, Listen, Encourage Action, and Check-In.
These four steps can make all the difference in ensuring the important men in your life are aware of these health issues and how to prevent them.
The Bottom Line
We understand that some people have financial limitations and might not be able to donate. But if you can grow facial hair (or at least attempt to), put down your razors this month and help raise awareness for men’s health.
And you never know. You may like the way your new beard looks!