Movember 2014

As we head into the last week of November, exams are over and the parties are just getting started to celebrate the semester end. But before December begins… the month of festivities and fun… let’s focus on something slightly more serious and a lot more hairy.

Although a particularly sensitive topic (especially for the men)… Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in males and more than 4000 men are diagnosed annually in South Africa. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in males and more than 4000 men are diagnosed annually in South Africa. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in males and more than 4000 men are diagnosed annually in South Africaprostate cancer is the leading cancer in males and more than 4000 men are diagnosed annually in South Africa. That’s why Movember is dedicated to supporting prostate and testicular cancer initiatives worldwide. People all over the globe show their support by wearing fake moustaches (girls take note) and by allowing men to get away with not shaving for a month and to show off their hairy upper lips!

The Movember Foundation is making it their goal to “change the face of men’s health”.

The Movember charity event, housed on Movember.com (go to http://za.movember.com/ to learn more about Movember, to make a donation or to participate in one of the many charity events held in South Africa), runs to encourage men (who the charity refers to as "Mo Bros") to get involved. Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. Besides annual check-ups, the Movember Foundation also encourages men to be aware of family history of cancer and to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

 

The “More Balls Than Most” campaign partnered with Harley Davidson earlier in the month and ran the Snors for a Cause initiative. MBTM and HD called on all the men of South Africa to take part in a nationwide motorcade on the 1st of November in 10 different locations across South Africa to support and encourage a culture of health and awareness pertaining to our bodies. More Balls Than Most offered free blood-testing before the motorcade and Harley Davidson donated R 50 000 to a MBTM.

Photograph from: http://gq.co.za/2014/10/harley-davidson-snors-cause/

The next Movember event will be the first annual Brovember Sorbet ManUltimate Action Football Challenge on the 29^th of November at the Discovery Soccer Park, The Wanderers Club. Sorbet has made MBTM a beneficiary of Brovember and proceeds of the day will go to MBTM.

Please guys, be aware of your body and don’t just ignore the signs and symptoms. If you know someone who might need some encouragement to go for a check up, support them all the way. Some early signs of prostate cancer include:

-          Some pain or discomfort… down there.

-          A burning sensation or pain during urination.

-          Difficulty urinating, or trouble starting and stopping while urinating.

-          More frequent urges to urinate at night.

-          Loss of bladder control.

-          A decreased flow or velocity of urine stream.

-          Blood in the urine or semen (haematuria)

If you have any of these signs and symptoms, please go to your doctor or local clinic and get checked out as soon as possible. Find out before it’s too late.

Watch The Movember Song, a hilarious video by Derick Watts and The Sunday Blues - A parody on Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”.