By Adam Levine
Editorial Staff
Everyone has a man in their life.
Whether it be your partner, guardian, brother, best friend, or the barista at your favorite coffee shop that makes your order just right, everyone has a man in their life.
This is the framework of the Movember Foundation, the world’s largest non-profit organization supporting men’s health.
The month of November, known by many as “No Shave November,” is a time for me to reflect on my own experiences and those of the men in my life.
Movember’s charitable initiatives focus on three major aspects regarding men’s health - men’s mental health, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
According to Movember.com, Movember Foundation began in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia with two friends who decided to bring the mustache back into style and fundraise for men’s health and prostate cancer.
In 2003, 30 “Mo Bros” participated.
During the 2022-23 Movember fundraising campaign, 322,346 participants raised a combined $128.2 million, according to their website.
The Movember Foundation has funded over 1,320 men’s health projects since 2003, according to their website.
Everyone has a man in their life.
I first joined the fundraising campaign during November 2019, as a sophomore in college during my time at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
This is now my fifth year as a “Mo Bro” and I plan to show my support by growing a mustache over the 30 days of November.
On Sept. 29, 2020, I survived my first, and only, suicide attempt.
During my 2020 campaign, I raised over $13,000.
I raised the second-highest amount of money among college students, but the money stopped having meaning to me.
Once I hit a cycle of raising and surpassing my fundraising goal, I realized my mustache was no longer about raising money, but was about spreading awareness.
For me, fundraising for the Movember Foundation during the month of November is more about spreading awareness than anything.
According to research shared on the Movember Foundation’s website, it is evident men’s health needs support.
Globally, one man takes his own life every minute.
In the U.S., four out of every five suicides are men.
Globally, over 1.4 million people are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year.
It is the most diagnosed cancer in the U.S.
As I do every year, I shaved all my facial hair on Nov. 1.
Every few days, I shave my face again, leaving just the growing mustache remaining.
I wear my mustache proudly.
I wear it for the men who did not survive their attempts on their own life.
I wear it because I survived mine.
I wear it for the ones who cannot speak up for themselves and share their feelings and emotions.
I wear it for millions of men across the globe dealing with the side effects of prostate cancer treatment.
I wear it for the men diagnosed with testicular cancer, many diagnosed at a young age.
I wear it to spread awareness and I wear it proudly.
Everyone has a man in their life.
Whether it be your partner, guardian, brother, best friend, or the barista at your favorite coffee shop that makes your order just right, everyone has a man in their life.
Give them a hug. Ask them how they’re doing, and really mean it. Show them your love and appreciation.
Show your support for men’s health.
For additional information or more ways to get involved and support men’s health, visit https://us.movember.com/.