EDMONTON – Movember moustaches are looking a little fuller, as the popular campaign – which raises money and awareness for men’s cancers below the waist – moves into its final two weeks.
Since its humble beginnings in Australia nearly ten years ago, the cause has captured Canadians’ hearts – and their upper lips. Jonny Sullivan, Edmonton Movember Committee Co-Chair, has seen first-hand how the movement has grown in our country since making its way here in 2007.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child. We believe it takes a village to get rid of one of these diseases. And we never want to Mo-alone. We get our friends, family involved,” he said.
The team spirit has paid off. For the third year in a row, Canada is sitting at the top Movember fundraising spot. Last year, $42 million was raised across the nation, with Albertans raising almost a quarter of that amount.
The University of Alberta team alone raised $28,000 – a total this year’s group is hoping to surpass to become the number one fundraising campus in Canada.
Other than bragging rights, the team that wins that title will receive a visit from the man who, not so long ago, was grooming his ‘stache in space: Chris Hadfield.
The money raised from Movember will go to support a number of support services for men fighting prostate cancer, as well as research of the disease.
One Edmonton researcher, Roger Zemp, received nearly $200,000 in Movember money to work on new technologies that would allow doctors to provide more direct treatment and better identify tumours, with the help of lasers and ultrasound.
“With that we can see new blood vessels that are a hallmark of cancer,” he explained.
Aside from the dollars Movember is bringing in, there’s one other perk for those taking part:
“Now that winter’s here,” said Sullivan, “it’s great because it keeps your face so much warmer.”
Are you taking part in Movember? Upload a picture of your ‘stache in the comments section below!
With files from Tom Vernon, Global News
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