THIS November more men will be growing — and grooming — a dapper moustache as Movember becomes increasingly popular.

With the state of men’s health in crisis, Movember focuses on men’s health in a bid to reduce the number of men dying needlessly each year.

This year, the Herald Sun is partnering with the Movember Foundation to change the face of men’s health.

MODERN FOOTY MOUSTACHE MASTERPIECES

HOW TO GROW AN IMPRESSIVE MOUSTACHE

media_camera No matter where you live in Australia you can get involved. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

What is Movember?

Movember is an annual charity event that takes place across the month of November, where men grow a moustache to raise funds and awareness for men’s health projects.

It targets the most prominent health issues faced by men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Since Movember first started in Australia in 2003, the foundation has grown to fund more than 1,200 men’s health initiatives across more than 20 countries.

It is the only charity to tackle men’s health on a global scale.

The problem

On average, men die six years earlier than women.

Tragically, the leading cause of death for Australian men is suicide. Three out of four suicides are committed by men — that’s more than half a million men taking their own life each year, or one man every minute.

The rate of prostate cancer is set to double in the next 15 years, and the rate of testicular cancer has already doubled over the past 50 years.

It’s a global crisis faced by our brothers, fathers, partners and friends. And this is where Movember comes in.

The solution

The Movember Foundation finds and funds the most innovative research for both global and local impact.

On a global scale, the Foundation has established the largest ever international alliance of researchers and health experts.

With a strong collaborative mindset, they are striving to avoid the duplication of work and deliver innovation and knowledge sharing.

This, in turn, is leading to an acceleration of results in diagnosis and treatment for men in Australia, and around the world.

They also campaign to bring the facts to men on a global scale, create services that work, listen to the community and change behaviour for the better.

Around the world, more than $80 million was raised for men’s health last year alone.

media_camera Get your school or workplace involved. Picture: AAP/ Chris Eastman

HOW TO DONATE TO MOVEMBER

If you want to donate to someone’s Movember campaign, type in their name or a team name into the search bar and click on their Mo Space (sponsorship page) and follow the prompts.

Or you can make a general donation to the Movember Foundation any time of the year.

All donations are tax deductible

HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH MOVEMBER

Grow a Mo:

Men, the only way to become a true ‘Mo Bro’ is to start November clean-shaven and then let your upper lip sprout unrestrained. And why not get your mates involved? Get your local community, sports club, workplace or school/university on board to support the cause and rock those Mo’s together!

The Rules

1. Once registered at the Movember website each ‘Mo Bro’ must begin the 1st of November with a clean shaven face

2. For the entire month of Movember, each ‘Mo Bro’ must grow and groom a moustache

3. Don’t fake it, no beards, no goatees, no fake moustaches

4. Use the power of the moustache to create conversations about men’s health and to raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health

5. Each ‘Mo Bro’ must conduct himself like a true gentleman

Register

You can set-up a Mo Space to share with family and friends, making donating easy.

Or if you have some mates who are also coming along for the hairy journey, join their team or start your own team, approaching the challenge as a group.

Register your moustache and start raising money

media_camera Mums and bubs can get involved too. Picture: Toby Zerna

Make your move:

Both men and women can commit to walking or running 60km over the month of November. That’s 60km for the 60 men we lose each hour, every hour, to suicide. This Movember, we’re asking you to make your Move — for them.

You don’t have to be an ultra-athlete or own the latest kicks. Move is simpler than that. Put one foot in front of the other, and you’ve already made a start.

With Move, we can all go the distance to stop men from dying too young. Raise funds for men’s health on your Mo Space while also keeping your own health in check.

Sign up to Movember and set your goal.

Host an event:

Cook up a BBQ. Tee up a sports match. Pump the tunes at a party. Or set-up a shave down, where you and all your mates shave off that facial hair in solidarity at the start of the month. Movember is the perfect excuse to gather your mates and host a Mo-meant to help raise funds.

Get your local community, sports club, workplace or school/university involved.

Find an event, or start your own.

Can women get involved?

Absolutely! Whether it’s starting your own campaign or supporting someone else’s, both men and women can get involved by choosing to Move or Host and signing up at the Movember website.

media_camera Join in on an industry challenge and raise as much as you can for a great cause. Picture: AAP Image / Angelo Velardo

Movember office ideas

Together with your mates, lose your facial hair in a start of month shave down. The bigger the sacrifice, the bigger the reward, so see if you can get that guy in the office known for his beard or mo to lose the lot!

Host a moustache-themed party! Dress up as your favourite moustached celebrity or head down to the local op shop and dig up some moustache-themed clothes and rock it to work. Have a prize for the best dressed and encourage staff to donate.

Get your co-workers, whip out the apron and bake up some moustache-themed goodies! From brownies to cookies, cakes and slice decorate them with moustaches and sell them for a donation.

Create a donation box at the front desk or around the office.

Have an office collection day — make the rounds and encourage your co-workers to donate via movember.com.

Join an industry challenge to compete with other fundraisers across the sector and around the country, such as the Legal Challenge, the Banking and Finance Challenge, the First Responder Challenge or the Schools Challenge.

At the end of the month have another group shave off and count all the dollars you’ve raised for a worthy cause!

To speak with someone immediately, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.