No Shave November
WITH great beard comes great responsibility and members of the Movember or No Shave November movement have taken it upon themselves to grow their beards and moustaches to signify solidarity against Prostate Cancer.
Speaking to Sunday Life, founder of the movement in Zimbabwe, Miyamiko Banda said although the campaign had originated in New Zealand, it was important to embrace it locally because prostate cancer is a universal problem.
“The facial hair movement popularly and globally known as the ‘ No Shave November’ was an original idea of a cancer association in New Zealand, who associated the growth of a beard and moustache to signify that of prostate cancer awareness, the campaign originally aimed at raising funds for cancer victim treatment.
“I then decided to start this initiative in Zimbabwe as well, and since this is the first time it has been officially publicised, I have resorted to segmenting this campaign only to embracing the beard as the human symbol of encouragement, tribute and respect to all men that may be suffering or may have perished from prostate cancer,” he said.
Banda added that the movement was open to anyone who was interested in it. He encouraged anyone who is able to grow a beard or moustache to grow one and even urged women to wear prosthetic moustaches for fun and to show support for their men as this is a norm in other countries.
The growth of the prostate cancer pandemic motivated Banda to bring the campaign home.
“I believe that as Zimbabweans we have men here too, men who are suffering from this pandemic and who else other than the very men here in Zimbabwe is going to give them that support and encouragement to fight this pandemic other than the very men of Zimbabwe? Charity begins at home as they say,” he said.
Banda has partnered with Le Cyril Photography and Fashion Designers Expo Zimbabwe around the city to help in promoting and publicising the movement. As part of promoting the campaign, they held a photo shoot, rallying together a number of photographers and clothing brands around the city to take pictures of models with beards for the awareness campaign.
“Cancer lives in all of us! It takes something really that will come along and trigger it. Nobody knows what that ‘thing’ is. No man chooses this path, which is why with this sort of campaign we do not only want to educate the masses on prostate cancer detection and prevention , but to salute, encourage and motivate the men currently battling this pandemic, the men who have to be brave against something they cannot see. We need to give respect where it is due,” Banda said.
Prostate cancer affects one in every eight men. Similar to breast cancer symptoms its presence can be diagnosed by the lumps in the prostate region. Prostate cancer, like all other types of cancer, if detected early, is manageable. A lot of men however, shy away from being vocal about prostate cancer as they are afraid of being ostracised for having a dysfunctional manhood area. Banda however, encouraged all men to have their prostates examined and all women to encourage their husbands, sons and brothers to do the same.