After another challenging year, leading men’s health organization Movember is calling on Australians to come together for its 18th annual Mo-growing campaign and close out the year by havin’ fun, doin’ good.
The hairy month has arrived, and Movember is kicking-off its 18th birthday campaign on Monday 1 Movember 2021 (in the month formally known as November). While this year may again appear a little different depending on where you live down under, like all Australians, the humble moustache is resilient and it is ready to celebrate and close out the year by havin’ fun, doin’ good. The Iconic Mo will once again sprout up from behind face masks, earn the spotlight on Zoom calls and start life-saving conversations over the course of the month in an effort to raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
This Movember whatever you Grow will save a bro. Over the last two years the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to take a toll on the mental and physical health of men across the country. In Australia, three out of four suicides are men and suicide is the leading cause of premature death for men . For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, the suicide rate is more than twice the rate of non-Indigenous men.
It’s not just mental health the pandemic has directly impacted. Disruptions caused by the pandemic have also played a role in delaying potentially life-saving conversations for those experiencing prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Delays in cancer diagnosis, the cancellation of non-essential surgery in hospitals across the country, and the impact of social isolation on mental health have all continued to plague Australian men. In Australia, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime , and 5 testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men.
This is why Movember is calling on Mo Bros 6 and Mo Sisters across the country to rally together and help our men live happier, healthier, longer lives. Movember’s APAC Country Director Rachel Carr said: “Last year, the Movember Australia community really showed up for us, and it was incredible to see so many people recognising how important men’s physical and mental health continues to be.”
“It’s hard to believe we’re heading into our second Movember campaign amid a global pandemic, but we’re confident that Australians will once again show their support, in the name of men’s health. We’ve all seen the impact COVID-19 has had on the men in our lives – mentally and physically – and while Movember is a great opportunity to do some good while having fun, it’s important to remember why we Mo.”
“Men’s health is in crisis. Every donation – no matter how small – adds up, and with the help of our Rockstar community of Mo Bros and Mo Sisters right across Australia, Movember will continue funding and delivering life-saving research and programs to prevent our fathers, brothers, partners, sons and mates from dying prematurely.”
18 YEARS OF OUR IMPACT
Since 2003, over six million Mo Bros and Mo Sisters have taken part in the hairy movement, and Movember has funded more than 1,250 ground-breaking men’s health projects around the world. But there’s still so much more to be done.
Funds raised during the month of Movember (and all year round) will go towards funding innovative global programs and research aimed at Movember’s primary cause areas, with the intent of tackling these head-on.
The following are only some of the programs Movember has launched in 2021:
- Movember launched a new digital mental health tool Family Man, the world’s first online parenting program aimed at equipping dads with the practical skills to cope with frustrating situations, empowering them to be more confident and improve their mental wellbeing.
- Movember launched Ahead of the Game. Ahead of the Game uses sport to teach young athletes, parents and coaches how to talk about mental health. The program shows participants how to spot the signs of mental health issues, what to do and when to get support. Adolescents learn how to build resilience and overcome challenges in sport and life, setting them up with the skills to look after their mental wellbeing now and into the future.
- Movember invested a total of $8.37M across 14 initiatives to support better mental health outcomes for Veterans and First Responders and their families, including three projects in Australia by Everymind, Australia’s Black Dog Institute and Flinders University in partnership with the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation.
- Movember announced funding for five funding grants totaling over $965 thousand to strengthen social connection using technology through our Digital Social Connections Challenge.
Getting involved is easy. Sign up at Movember.com or download the Movember app. Choose to Grow, Move, Host or Mo Your Own Way and start raising funds and awareness for men’s health.
MO 1 KICK-OFF ACTIVITIES
Shave Down on Mo 1
On Mo 1, grab the razor and shave down clean. It’s tradition and a Movember rite of passage. Men across the country and around the world will be baby-faced and primed for a month of solid Mo-growing, all in the name of men’s health.
Make Your (first) Move on Mo 1
After another challenging year, let’s come together to kick-start our 60km Move challenge. Sign up to Move for Movember, and then make your first move on Mo 1 with a midday 5km walk or run. Join thousands of Aussie Mo Bros and Mo Sisters making their first Move to help change the face of men’s health – because we’re all in this together. Powered by Major Partner lululemon. Sign up to Move today at Movember.com or download the Movember app.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED THIS MOVEMBER
- GROW: A Mo. It’s our hairy ribbon. At the beginning of the month, grab the razor and shave down clean. Grow your moustache for the next 30 days and wear it proudly.
- MOVE: Commit to moving 60kms over the month. That’s 60kms for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour across the world. Run, walk, wheel, spin, bike – get out and get active.
- HOST: A Mo-ment- Rally a crew and do something fun. Hosting is all about having a good time for a good cause. And you can always put a virtual spin on your plans. The best part? Virtual events are easy to organize, cheap to run and you can go in your slippers.
- MO YOUR OWN WAY: Whether it’s a grueling test of physical endurance or a not-so-sweaty pledge to kick a bad habit, you choose your adventure and run with it.
Let’s do it for the men in our lives. For more information or to join the Movember movement, visit Movember.com. However you Mo, will save a bro.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, crisis support can be found at Lifeline: (13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au)
