History Made for the First Time - #122 Movember

This is the first item that I check off of my list! Growing a mustache for Movember is something I have wanted to do since I first heard about the fundraiser last year. For those that don’t know, Movember is an event held during the month of November to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. During the month of November, men in countries around the world grow mustaches, the idea that a change in a person’s appearance initiates conversation that can be used for raising awareness of prostate cancer and the need for men to get regular exams (prostate cancer is one of the most survivable forms of cancer if caught at an early stage and very deadly if not).

Here is a little blurb on Movember courtesy of the Canadian Movember Website:

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The plan was simple – to bring the moustache back as a bit of a joke and do something for men’s health. No money was raised in 2003, but the guys behind the Mo realized the potential a moustache had in generating conversations about men’s health. Inspired by the women around them and all they had done for breast cancer, the Mo Bros set themselves on a course to create a global men’s health movement.

In 2004, the first year of fund raising, $55,000 was raised in Australia for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Last year a quarter of a million people participated worldwide raising 47 million dollars. I heard on our local news that in Canada this year, we raised 18 million dollars, over twice last year’s 8 million dollars.

Unfortunately, I did not do very well with my fundraising but vow to do a better job next year. If anyone has any interest in donating on my behalf please feel free to donate at http://ca.movember.com/mospace/782212/. If you just want more information on activities where you are from or on the fundraiser of prostate cancer in general go to http://www.movember.com/.

Movember 6

Movember 14th

So that is it, the first item crossed off my list. Considering that I tend to have a five o’clock shadow at the best of times it may not be the most earth shattering thing off of my list by any means. I heard from quite a few people that they could not stand the itchiness that comes along with new hair growth. I seemed to be blessed without this problem so it was really not much of a problem for me at all. I am not the best when it comes to trimming so it is certainly not the nicest mustache ever but I wasn’t in it to win any beauty contests. A few people have even suggested that it looks good on me and that I should keep it… what do you think? I haven’t shaved it off yet but I am thinking this weekend it will be gone. Anyways, it is nice to get the first thing down and know that I can set a goal and actually follow through with it.

Hopefully this will lead to the crossing off of many more things from the list!