Time to grow a mo in support of men’s health

MEN’S health is set to come under the spotlight this month as thousands of men around the world go on a moustache-growing adventure as part of Movember.

The Men’s Foundation, which drives Movember in South Africa, says prostate and testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity are some of the biggest health issues facing men.

Movember calls on men to not only grow a mo (moustache) for 30 days, but also make a commitment to be more active over the month and do daily exercises as part of the MOVE initiative.

The initiative encourages men to know more about their health and be familiar with their bodies and any unusual changes.

Marked in 21 countries, Movember sees Mo Bros and Mo Sistas (as they are affectionately known) raise funds and awareness around the often-ignored issues of men’s health.

Men’s Foundation chief executive and founder Garron Gsell said that on average, five South African men will die from prostate cancer every day, and one in 29 men was at risk of testicular cancer.

“It’s simple. We want men to live happier, healthier, longer lives. Our fathers, partners, brothers and friends are facing this health crisis and it’s not being talked about. We can’t afford to stay silent. We need to talk about it. We need to act. We want men to talk when things get tough,” said Gsell.

He said the foundation funded more than 1 200 men’s health projects around the world, and counting. It is committed to reducing the number of men dying prematurely, and wanted to even the life expectancy of men and women by 2030.

“In South Africa over the past seven years, more than 120 000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas have supported the campaign, raising R5.6 million locally towards survivorship and research programmes.”

Each Mo Bro was required to start clean-shaven and grow and groom a moustache for the entire month. To get involved, sign up for free at movember.com.

For more, download the Movember app on your mobile. Follow Movember on social media: @MovemberRSA on Twitter, or www.facebook/MovemberSouthAfrica.

THE Movember South Africa website highlights a number of startling facts to back up its argument that men’s health is in crisis. “Men experience worse longer-term health than women and die on average six years earlier,” it says.

And the facts and figures it produces to back this make frightening reading. More than 4 300 South Africans are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year,” it warns.

And of those diagnosed, five will die from it every day.

Here are some other facts about the state of men’s health in our country: according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa), South African men have a one in eight chance of being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, with the top cancers affecting them being prostate cancer, the skin cancer known as Kaposi sarcoma, and lung and colorectal cancers.

But there are other forms of illness that have a devastating effect on men and their families. Mental health is a serious problem, with men in the majority of the more than 500 000 globally who commit suicide every year.

According to Movember SA, the health crisis affecting men is not being talked about enough. And the result is that men are dying too young. We agree. This is why we are saying: in November let’s make Movember a month to highlight all the difficult-to-speak-about aspects of men’s health.

Our appeal to men everywhere is to go and have your prostates checked.

Persuade your friends, partners and family members to have themselves checked too. It’s painless – and quick – and worth it. And for those who believe the procedure is embarrassing, it’s not. And besides, it could save your life.

Our call goes out to women too. Encourage your husband, partner, father, brother, lover, or any other man to have a prostate check-up or, indeed, a check-up for anything that might suggest a problem.

Visit the Movember SA website and make a point of sharing some of its messages, such as “I want to live in a world where no man dies of testicular cancer,” or “Don’t lose track of your friends when your life gets busy. It doesn’t take much to keep in touch with your mates.”. And don’t forget to grow your Mo.