Movember is a global men’s health movement that has been changing the face of men’s health for almost two decades.

If you’ve happened to notice a whole lot more men sporting moustaches in recent weeks, don’t worry, you haven’t missed a new return-to-the-1980s fashion movement.

We’re coming to the end of ‘Movember’ - perhaps the most iconic, international men’s health movement.

And this year, more men than ever before have chosen to take part in no shave November in support of a fantastic cause.

Certain men’s health issues have traditionally been touchy subjects in some communities and for a lot of individuals. No one likes to think about prostate or testicular cancer, and mental health issues can be really difficult to talk about and address.

While it can be easier not talk about the issues pertaining to men's health, its clear that there's been real need for something like Movember for a long time.

The movement tackles come very serious men's health issues but broaches them in the spirit of openness, community and support. It was an opportunity for big groups including companies and sports teams to take part in the campaign. It's and ideal team-building exercise that supports a great cause.

Back in 2003, a group of mates in Melbourne, Australia, were having a few of beers while discussing fashion trends from the past.

The guys joked that no-one ‘cool’ had tried to wear a moustache for many years, and wondered whether it might be possible to bring back the mo in the name of charity.

While the idea could have ended that night, the founders ended up convincing around 30 of their friends and colleagues to take part in the first Movember, and after that, the word really started to get out.

Prostate cancer was the formal cause of the movement and the team reached out to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA), which they have donated to each year since and eventually partnered with.

In 2004 Movember was registered as a company and in 2006 the Movember Foundation was registered as an official Australian charity.

While the movement started locally, on a small scale, it didn’t take long for the Movember message to spread far and wide.

Within just a handful of years, men from countries around the world began to take part and get behind the Movember campaign.

In 2006 the campaign launched in New Zealand in partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. That same year unofficial campaigns were help in Spain and in the UK.

The following year US and Canadian campaigns were ran in partnership with The Prostate Cancer Foundation and Prostate Cancer Canada.

An official campaign was launched in the UK in partnership with The Prostate Cancer Charity, while the official Spanish campaign partnered with FEFOC.

The Movember movement has continued to expand rapidly since those early years, and there are now official campaigns held in 21 countries.

A key aspect of Movember is to focus on men’s mental health issues and to provide support for men that are struggling.

Male suicide rates are alarmingly high and have worsened in some communities during and since the pandemic. An average of one man dies by suicide every minute of every day globally, and in some parts of the world three quarters of all suicides are men.

The Movember campaign aims to look at mental health from a male perspective, while providing a focus on early intervention, prevention and health promotion.

The aim is to work towards a world where men are able to work to support their own mental health, to be supported by and provide support for those around them.

A clear cut goal of the movement is reduce the male suicide rate by 25% by the end of the decade.

Improving overall mental health and helping men establish better social connections can reduce the risk of suicide and result in improved mental health outcomes.

Movember is all about men looking out for themselves and looking out for their mates. It’s about creating and strengthening a community, listening to health experts and each other, funding bold new approaches and embracing new perspectives on men’s health.

Support continues to pour in from around the globe and more than FJ$1.12 billion has been raised cumulatively and used to fund more than 1000 different men’s health programs.

The crux of the Movember movement has always been to get behind the biggest issues men face and to make a difference where it’s possible to do so.

Initially, prostate cancer was chosen as the primary health issue to focus on, due to the millions of men around the world who are affected by the condition.

As support has swelled and the movement has grown, the focus of the campaign has broadened to cover four key men’s health issues:

-    Prostate cancer

-    Testicular cancer

-    Mental health

-    Physical inactivity

Mental health issues and physical inactivity have been particularly impactful in recent years, due to the pandemic, lockdowns and restrictions affecting men across Fiji and around the world

PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men around the world. More than 1.4 million men globally are diagnosed with the condition each year.

Donations to Movember campaigns around the world have helped advance research into prostate cancer by around 50 years.

The Movember Foundation aims to halve the number of men dying from prostate cancer and to halve the number of men facing serious ongoing side effects from treatment by 2030.

TESTICULAR CANCER

Testicular cancer strikes young, it’s the most common cancer in young men around the world. However, the odds for survival are greater than 95%.

Some men face long-term treatment-related side effects, which means that quality of life can be severely compromised.

If you’re not already involved, look into how you can get behind Movember to help improve men’s health.

Grow a mo, donate to support the foundation or help spread the word.