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A man dies from prostate cancer every 22 minutes. Nine hundred and forty new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed in Canada in 2013. One in five men will experience a mental health issue this year. 

It can happen to anyone, it can happen to the one you love. The realization sends shivers, huh? If you are like A Salute to the Moustache team, the stats probably doesn’t agree with you. If there is something to keep such threats as cancer or mental health issues from happening to loved ones, it should be done! 

A Salute to Moustache partners with the Movember Foundation to combat men’s health problems. Last year $42.6 million were raised for men's health in Canada by Movember supporters. The proceeds went to fund research to improve physical and mental health outcomes for men. 

Every dollar counts. This year the newly launched program Movember Report Cards, which can be found on movember.com, brings Movember on a new level of transparency. “We’re hoping that Mo Bros and Mo Sistas can learn a little bit more about the good their dollar is doing with, through these report cards,” says Michael Braiden, Partnerships and Business Development Coordinator in Canadian branch of the Movember Foundation.

Michael Braiden
Partnerships and Business Development Coordinator
in Canadian branch of the Movember Foundation

Growing moustaches in November means becoming a walking billboard in support of men’s health, and helping start discussions on the painful issue of testicular and prostate cancer and mental well-being. “Through the power of the mo, men across Canada are starting to think and talk about their health,” says Braiden. He sees mo as a perfect conversation starter. And don’t worry if your mo hasn’t grown big and bushy. “The weaker the mo, the better the conversation,” he says. Last year in Canada, 247,000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas engaged in the movement. “Our goal for this year is to get one more man talking and taking action about his health.” 

Michelle Bryckman
A Salute to the Moustache team member

Movement to support serious issue doesn’t have to be all somber. It is about fun and enjoying being a part of  generation Mo. “Mo Sistas and a Mo Bro hosting A Salute to Moustache fundraiser place a fun twist on the serious issue in the ‘bellow the belt’ fashion show,” says Michelle Bryckman, a member of A Salute to Moustache team. Twelve male models who care deeply about the cause will strut on the runway showing off their moustaches and popular menswear.

“It’s a great idea. It involves the models and the crowd, all while encouraging discussion about men’s health. It’s a perfect example of the creativity that a Mo Bro or Mo Sista can use to inspire men to think about their health and be more proactive,” Braiden comments on the fundraiser. 

Megan Lynda
A Salute to the Moustache team member

Following their creativity impulse, A Salute to the Moustache wants to make sure that no one is left out this Movember. “If you don't have a moustache yet – not to worry – we’ll bake one for you,” says Megan Henry, another team member of A Salute to the Moustache , releasing information about the Moustache Bake Sale in the Centre for Creativity and Communications on Tuesday Nov. 19. 

So, let’s get staches (or even eat some if you are coming to our Moustache Bake Sale) and discuss the question: how can we, as a community, work to change the face of the men’s health?