Monday 5 November 2012

Movember : Are You A Mo Bro?

“Whether you're stopping or going
Just you remember
To keep that mo growing
Whilst in Movember”
Colonel Boochie R. Blight

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces around the world.  The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.
On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shave face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery.  Mo Sistas are the women who register to support the men in their lives, raising funds by seeking sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.
Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.
At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valour by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.
The History behind Movember
The Movember Foundation was co-founded by Luke Slattery, Travis Garone, Adam Garone and Justin Coghlan in 2004.  The Foundation is a not for profit organisation dedicated to having an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.   Movember started in Australia and has since grown to a global movement, running official campaigns in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States of America, New Zealand, Spain, the Netherlands, South Africa and Finland.
The idea of Movember came from a conversation between Luke Slattery and Travis Garone the year before the Foundation was established.   Luke and Travis were watching the world go by and critiquing the comeback of fashion trends from the past when the question was raised, why no return of the moustache?
Both felt that the Mo could do with a revival.   So, with the seed of an idea, Luke and Travis talked a couple of mates into growing a moustache for one month and with that, Movember was born.   In 2003, just 30 Mo Bros took part.  The rules were simple; start on Movember 1st clean shaven and spend the remainder of the month growing a Mo.  No money was raised; the idea was simply to see who could grow the better moustache.
It wasn’t until 2004, having been overwhelmed by the conversations prompted by the previous year’s growth, that the founders decided to develop the idea into a cause that gave birth to the Movember Foundation.   Today, Movember takes place around the world.   Motivated and inspired by what was happening in Australia, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes and make men aware of the health risks they face, thereby increasing early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.   More importantly however, Movember’s success will remain with its ability to stay true to its origins, mates and moustaches, which is how it all began.







Movember - a global movement
Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.9 Million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, South Africa, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic.  In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.
No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, and to act on that knowledge, thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

MOVEMBER AND SONS
Vision:










Values:
·         Fun
We create fun.
·         Accountable
We are accountable and transparent. We strive to exceed best practice cost-to-fundraising ratios.
·         Caring
We are passionate, dedicated, caring people that are here to serve the Movember Community.
·         Team Movember
Although we are spread across the world we are one team with the same deeper sense of purpose. 
·         Humble
We have a humble attitude and approach to everything we do.
·         Innovative
Born from an entrepreneurial spirit, we apply innovation across the organisation to improve the Mo Bro and Mo Sista experience.
·         Remarkable Experiences
At every touch point – phone, email, online, in person, at our events we create a remarkable experience.
·         Outcomes Oriented
We will drive significant outcomes for men’s health from the funds we raise.

Goals
Campaign strategic goal
We will get men to grow moustaches by creating an innovative, fun and engaging annual Movember campaign that raises funds and awareness globally.
Strategic goals from the funds raised:
·         Survivorship
We will fund survivorship initiatives that provide information and support for men and their families affected by prostate and testicular cancer that helps them make informed decisions and improves their quality of life.
·         Awareness and education
Through our annual campaign and funded programs we will significantly increase the understanding of the health risk that men face and encourage men to act on that knowledge.
·         Prostate cancer research
We will fund catalytic research and clinical trials infrastructure that leads to significantly improved diagnostic and prognostic tests and treatments to reduce the burden of prostate cancer.
·         Influencing change in men's health
We will fund research that helps to inform health policy and knowledge translation that accelerates improved health outcomes for men.

Mo Business
At Movember, we recognise that every business is different and has different expectations and aims from their participation in Movember; as such we work with each one to develop a tailored program. We take the time to understand the culture of your business, appreciating current altruistic activities and available resources, before helping to develop a relationship that will add genuine value to your organisation.
Each year, Movember works alongside a large number of companies, from all corners of the business world, ranging in size from the relatively small, right up to some of the largest global corporations.  The contribution and level of involvement may vary from one business to another but all support helps Movember in trying to achieve its vision; to have an everlasting impact on the future of men’s health.

Mo Sistas
SISTAS CAN MO TOO
Never a truer word was spoken, when it was said that behind every great man, stands a great woman.  Wise words indeed from a past generation, words which are as meaningful today as the day they were uttered.  Whilst a Mo Bro may grow, it is the Mo Sista that is often the driving force, first planting the seed (of an idea) and then carefully working away behind the scenes of fine moustachery for the 30 days of Movember.
A Mo Sista is essentially a woman who loves a Mo. An individual that is dedicated to supporting the Mo Bros in her life through their moustache growing journey; whether it be a friend, colleague, family member, partner or boyfriend. These inspirational women are committed to raising awareness of men's health issues and much needed funds for men's health along the way.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A MO SISTA
To be a Mo Sista is to be an agent for change. It's not an exaggeration to say that without Mo Sistas, Movember would never have achieved the success it has to date.
For many Mo Bros, the thought of growing a moustache can be a daunting one.   They may be concerned about how they will look with their newly acquired facial friend, nervous as to whether they are capable of growing a Mo or apprehensive about the commitment it takes to grow a Mo for the full 30 days of Movember.   Mo Sistas play a vital role in supporting the journey, not least by being supportive of their courageous commitment.    A kind word of encouragement, a wink or a smile of recognition can go a long way to helping a Mo Bro as he navigates the month of Movember – this may be particularly true in the first few weeks when growth can, for some, be a little bit slow.
Mo Sistas also have an important role in helping men to break down barriers and talk about their health.   Women are traditionally more comfortable when it comes to talking about these matters, so can be great facilitators in supporting the Mo Bros in their life to share their personal journeys with each other, or a health care professional.   Getting men to better understand the risks they face is key for Movember and Mo Sistas are a great way to help get health messages to Mo Bros.   

The Rules for Movember
The rules listed below must be adhered to with the complete love and devotion that you will find for your new furry look.
1.  Once registered at movember.com each mo bro must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face.
2.  For the entire month of November each mo bro must grow and groom a moustache.
3.  There is to be no joining of the mo to [one's] sideburns. (That’s considered a beard.)
4.  There is to be no joining of the handlebars to [one's] chin. (That’s considered a goatee.)
5.  Each mo bro must conduct himself like a true country gentleman.

Follow Movember on Pinterest for all things moustache related.
Follow Movember @Movember and make sure you hashtag your pics with #Movember
Join the Movember app on facebook
Follow Movember on Twitter and tweet your progress


1 comment:

  1. Thanks John appreciated. I have checked out Ken's website and there is a mountain of info there - have shared it with others. Thank you xxx

    ReplyDelete