St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus Athletics Department is in the early stages of Movember, a global event that helps raise vital awareness and funds for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives. Members of its sports teams, along with members of the athletic department staff, will participate in the Movember throughout the month.
Assistant Athletic Director Jared Phillips, whose mustache has now become the face of Gustavus’ movement, spearheaded the athletic department’s first ever involvement in the event. Phillips saw the Movember initiative as an opportunity to bring all sports teams from across the entire athletics department together in the pursuit of a common goal.
“Gustavus has always supported cancer awareness initiatives with our sports teams and at our sporting events,” said Phillips. “In particular, we have had great events with the Gustie Volleyball team’s Dig Pink night, the women’s basketball Play for Kay game and even our football team has donned pink tape, towels and wristbands in support of breast cancer awareness during the month of October. Movember is an opportunity for us to raise the same awareness about types of cancer that impact men all over the world.”
To see photos of the Gustie athletes and athletics department staff who are participating, or to donate to the cause, please visit the Gustavus Athletics Movember page at http://us.movember.com/team/658777
“The energy and excitement from our staff and athletes to participate in this has been great,” Phillips continued. “Not all of us can grow a Tom Selleck type ‘stache but we are all willing to make a statement to raise awareness about these important men’s health issues. This is going to be a fun month.”
Phillips also expressed gratitude towards the females in the department who have chosen to participate in the event. Referred to as “Mo Sistas,” are those women dedicated in supporting Mo Bros through their mustache growing journey. Women also play an important role in helping men to break down barriers to talk about their health.
“The ladies on campus and the wives of the staff have all been very supportive in this crazy initiative. While the early stages of mustache growing can cause some laughs, they all realize that this is a unique way to talk about an uncomfortable subject.”
How It Works
Men start November 1st clean shaven. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.
Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.
At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.
A Global Movement
Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne, Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.9 Million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, South Africa, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic. In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.
No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, and to act on that knowledge, thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.
In 2011, over 854,000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas around the world got on board, raising $126.3 million USD.
The Effect
The funds raised in the US support prostate cancer and testicular cancer initiatives. The funds raised are directed to programs run directly by Movember and our men’s health partners, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG Foundation. Together, the three channels work together to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in line with our strategic goals in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research.
For learn more about Movember, please go to http://us.movember.com/?home.