Have you heard about the annual health event called Movember (“Moustache” plus “November”)? Men pledge to grow the facial hair above their upper lips and to get donations from their friends, family, and coworkers to fund efforts to address the men’s health crisis.
In addition to fundraising, the Movember Foundation aims to raise global awareness of male-specific diseases such as prostate and testicular cancer, as well as conditions that often hit men especially hard, such as depression, other mental illnesses, and suicide. Their stated mission is simple: to stop men dying too young.
Since Movember was launched in Australia in 2003, the event has grown into a powerhouse health charity and one of the fastest growing non-government organizations. The founders of Movember were inspired by how women had spearheaded fundraising and research efforts towards finding a cure for breast cancer. They sought to do the same to address male health and longevity disparities, and they have—with good humor and tremendous imagination.
In the last 15 years, the Movember Foundation has invested $200 million in 120 research projects to improve health outcomes for American men. They’ve also funded over 1,200 projects in more than 20 countries, with the financial support of over 5 million men and women.
The Movember Foundation will launch their 50 Million Men campaign in early 2019 to empower 50 million American men to self-manage their health in the next five years. Among other disparities, American women outlive American men by an average of five years.
(Worldwide, health outcomes among men and boys continue to be substantially worse than among girls and women.)
Through free digital resources, trackers, and health promotion initiatives, the organization aims to educate American men about healthy living, and to encourage them to seek preventative care and early treatment.
Movember gives nurses a wonderful opportunity to get involved in the effort to close the gender health gap and ensure that men live long lives, with the support of their peers and families. More healthy men mean healthier communities and ultimately, a healthier world.
November isn’t the only national health observances this month. According to Healthfinder.gov, there are many others. Here are a few that may greatly impact men:
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
- American Diabetes Month
- Great American Smokeout (American Cancer Society)
- National Child Mental Health Month
Though men may have traditionally been more likely to smoke, drink heavily, or eat convenience foods, that may be changing. With increased awareness, men are starting to be more proactive about taking charge of their own health. By educating men about these issues, whether during Movember or the Great American Smokeout, nurses can help to save 50 Million Men.
To learn more, visit www.movember.com.
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