But first of all, we hope you enjoy this topical article.

It's about MOVEMBER, which is primarily promoted in the month of November but we've decided to leave it on here all year round, as the issues highlighted don't go away for the rest of the year. November 2023 may be over now but we still need to promote awareness of men's health issues!

Please read on:-

 

It’s organised by the Movember Foundation, a charity set up in 2003, to raise awareness of Men’s Health issues.

 

They say that “Doin' Movember Is The Most Fun You'll Have Saving Lives” and “ Whatever You Grow, However You Mo, Your Dough Will Save a Bro”, so there’s obviously a sense of fun about the way they do things. But there are very serious reasons for getting involved.

Consider these facts:

• Globally, one man is lost to suicide every minute of every day
• Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men over 45
• Testicular cancer is the #1 cancer in young men

This is something that affects ALL of us – around 50% of us ARE male. Of the rest of us, we all have fathers, brothers, partners, friends, etc. that we care about.

 

So, aside from growing some seriously dodgy facial hair once a year, what is Movember all about?

What do they actually DO?

Well, since 2003, over six and three-quarter million people have got involved and more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world have been funded, challenging the status quo, shaking up men’s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men.

 

Movember have made it their mission to improve overall Mental Health and help men establish better social connections to reduce the risk of suicide by funding bold new approaches and embracing fresh perspectives.

• Like The Social Innovators Challenge, which funds creative programmes aimed at restoring and strengthening the social connections of men, particularly those at risk for loneliness and isolation.  Current funding supports the scaling and piloting of innovative projects in three markets: Australia, Canada and the UK.
• Then there’s Brothers Through Boxing, a non-contact boxercise and general fitness program for men aged 16-25.  The program encourages men to develop new friendships through fitness and peer-led discussions designed to break male stereotypes.

These are just a couple of examples of how Movember are tackling the issues of Men’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

 

Around 1 in 8 men in the UK will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in their lifetime. The Movember Foundation claim to have pushed progress in research forward by 50 years. How? By thinking differently, collaborating globally and investing quickly in what works.

• They’ve committed over £24 million in their Global Action Plan (GAP), funding seven key global research projects in prostate and testicular cancer.
• It’s not just about a cure – it’s about quality of life. So True North is a global prostate cancer program developed by Movember to help improve outcomes and quality of life for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. With the help of clinicians, researchers, health organisations and user feedback, True North aims to provide information, resources and support to help men navigate the prostate cancer journey.

 

At greater than 95%, the odds of survival for men with Testicular Cancer are better than good – but for some men, long-term treatment-related side effects, mean quality of life is severely compromised. Movember focus on getting these predominantly young men back to living full and healthy lives.

• The Movember Foundation funded the largest comprehensive sequencing study of testicular tumours published to date. This led to several groundbreaking discoveries that improved understanding of testicular cancer and how to treat it effectively.

 

So there’s a great deal of work being done but, clearly, there’s still a great deal more to do.

And that’s where we come in. We can all get involved.

 

Firstly by looking after our own health and not being afraid to talk about the problems we face, whether mental or physical and to seek advice and treatment at the earliest opportunity.

Then take a little time to Google “Movember” (other search engines are available!) or go straight to the website at uk.movember.com and learn about all the great work they’re doing and how you can help. There’s even a brilliant app you can download.

You can get sponsored to grow a ‘tache or you can sponsor someone you know to do it. You can make a single donation or arrange a monthly payment if you wish. Get sponsored to run 60 miles (it’s only 2 miles a day if you spread it over the month!) in recognition of the 60 men lost to suicide every hour. You could host a Mo-ment, raise funds at work, even donate crypto currency

– the list is endless but the most important thing is to NOT do NOTHING!

 

At ukgoodhealth2u we’re supporting Movember and one of the easiest ways for you to get involved and do your bit to help is to order one of our “I’m supporting Movember!” badges. We’ve designed them to give a clear and simple message and they’re specially made for us by one of the UK’s leading badge manufacturers. Profits from each badge sold go to the Movember Foundation. Buy one for yourself or get together with your mates and order a few.

Wear your badge with pride and use it to start conversations about Men's Health issues - every time we do this it raises awareness and ultimately saves lives.

See the Special Offers section of our Shop for more details or click/tap on the image of the badge below - it'll take you straight there.

 

This article was adapted from information found on the Movember Foundation website: uk.movember.com

Please now read our article: Prostate Cancer: Understanding the Risks, Diagnosis and Treatment (Click here)