We’re now more than halfway through November, which means our Sylvan Lake News team’s Movember campaign will soon be drawing to a close.
Progress is now visible on the faces of each of our team members, who have been collecting donations both online and in person for the past three weeks.
Of course, there’s still plenty of time to donate to the cause in support of men’s health initiatives, and to show you the importance of your donations, here are some stats provided by Movember Canada:
• This year, more than 23,000 men in Canada will learn they have prostate cancer.
• In Canada, men die by suicide at a rate more than three times higher than women.
• Approximately 40 per cent of Canadians will develop cancer at some point in their lives.
• In 2013, more than 173,000 Canadian Movember participants raised close to $34 million.
Prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health initiatives are the primary beneficiaries of Movember funds raised. But there’s much more to the campaign than raising money.
Moustaches — particularly those grown by typically clean-shaven individuals — tend to create an interesting point of conversation, and in turn create a greater awareness of the Movember cause.
In fact, the initiative began along those lines in 2003, when two friends in Australia challenged each other to a moustache growing contest throughout the month of November. Inspired by a friend’s breast cancer fundraising initiative, the two decided their cause would focus on men’s health. Some of their original rules and guidelines still exist in Movember fundraising today, and it’s now up to us to keep the conversation going.
If you wish to support us and make a donation, head over to ca.movember.com, and search for the Sylvan Lake News team. Or, give us a shout at the office and find out other ways you can get involved.
Thank you to everyone who has already donated! Happy Movember!