UPPER LIPS AND FACIAL FOLLICLES EVERYWHERE REJOICE AS CANADIANS NATIONWIDE TAKE PART IN 16TH ANNUAL MOVEMBER CAMPAIGN

• MOVEMBER RAISES AWARENESS FOR MEN'S HEALTH INCLUDING MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE PREVENTION, PROSTATE CANCER AND TESTICULAR CANCER
• GREAT CANADIAN MO CHALLENGE – A NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR CANADA'S NEXT GREAT MOUSTACHES

TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - Upper lips across the country are twitching in anticipation as moustache season officially arrives, and with it, Movember, Canada's leading men's health organization, is kicking off its 16^th annual campaign. From Canada's Atlantic shores, through the peaks of the Rockies, to the forests of Vancouver Island, moustaches will once again be spouting on the faces of men across the country as they raise funds and awareness for men's health.  To join the Movember movement, sign-up or donate today at Movember.com.

The annual campaign goes far beyond attempting to bring back an old-timey fashion trend but encourages "Mo Bros" and "Mo Sisters" across the country to rally in support of Movember's cause areas: men's mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. In Canada, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, testicular cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer in young men, and 3 in 4 suicides are by men. Men's physical and mental health continues to be in crisis. Through funds raised, Movember has invested in over 1,250 critical projects and research globally that aim to stop men from dying too young, with nearly 300 of those innovative men's health programs based in Canada.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Rooted in fun, Movember provides an opportunity to come together while also raising funds for lifesaving research and programs aimed at helping our fathers, brothers, friends, and sons from dying too young. Those planning to join the Movember movement this year can sign-up at www.movember.com, create a Mo Space, choose to Grow, Move, Host or Mo Your Own Way and start raising funds and awareness for men's mental and physical health. 

• GROW: A Mo. It's our hairy ribbon. At the beginning of the month, grab the razor and shave down clean. Grow your moustache for the next 30 days and wear it proudly.
• MOVE: Commit to moving 60kms over the month. That's 60kms for the 60 men we lose to suicide each hour, every hour around the world, every hour across the world. Run, walk, wheel, spin, bike – get out and get active.
• HOST: A Mo-ment- Rally a crew and do something fun. Hosting is all about having a good time for a good cause – a potluck, wine-tasting, hockey game, the world is your oyster,
• MO YOUR OWN WAY: Whether it's a gruelling test of physical endurance or a not-so-sweaty pledge to kick a bad habit, you choose your adventure and run with it.

"At Movember, we continue to be committed to changing the face of men's health. We've had an incredible impact in the past 16 years – from digital tools helping men to navigate their experience with prostate and testicular cancer, to local mental health programs that are making a difference in the lives of men. We're incredibly proud of the amazing programs we've been able to fund with global and local impact," says Todd Minerson, Country Director for Movember Canada. "These programs are changing lives, and they are saving lives. They are only made possible by the amazing Movember community across Canada, who continue to show up for us every year." 

GREAT CANADIAN MO CHALLENGE

To celebrate the month of many Mos, after resounding success, Movember is launching the second iteration of the Great Canadian Mo Challenge, a nationwide hunt for Canada's greatest moustaches and Mo supporters. The Great Canadian Mo Challenge is an opportunity to celebrate the iconic everyday moustaches sprouting up nationally and the amazing stories and impact that go along with them. This year, five winners will be selected from across Canada. Their photos (in all moustachioed glory) will be featured on various billboards across Canada's major cities on November 30, 2022, including Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto. Moustache connoisseurs and supporters can submit their own story and Mo (or a Mo they know) Mo by signing up for Movember and commenting with their story/nomination on the challenge's post via Movember's Facebook page, email, or twitter.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

Funds raised during the month of Movember (and all year round) will go towards funding innovative programs and research aimed at Movember's primary cause areas, with the intent of tackling these stats head-on. The following are only some of the programs Movember has been actively engaged with through 2022:

• In July 2022, Movember hosted the first-ever global Men's Indigenous Gathering to take place in the subarctic, bringing together Indigenous cultures from all over the world to share their stories, traditions, teachings, and learnings– celebrating the inherent bond Indigenous cultures share with one another. The event took place at the Movember-funded Churchill Wellness Centre, the first subarctic Indigenous mental health addictions centre which provides social inclusion and land-based programming for local Indigenous men and communities.
• Through to 2024, Movember will continue to fund four Canadian programs that are aimed at supporting the mental health of veterans and first responders, investing a total of $1.6M. This includes the First Responder Resiliency Program based out of Loon Lake, BC. Watch here.
• In October 2022, Movember announced recipients for the Scaling What Works Grant Funding program, which aims to supercharge mental health initiatives and expand the program offerings to more recipients. This includes Calgary's Centre for Sexuality-led program WiseGuyz.

For the second year, Movember is excited to have partnered with Philips – a global leader in health technology - as the campaign's official male grooming partner. This year, Philips Canada will donate up to $150K CAD to help in supporting Movember's commitment to fund and deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs for men.  

For more information or to join the Movember movement today, visit www.movember.com.
Logos, images, and video assets are available for download HERE.

Note to Editors: 
Movember strongly encourages the inclusion of appropriate help-seeking information for stories about suicide and mental illness. For support at any time, day or night, we encourage Canadians to reach out to one of the following services: Suicide Prevention Service (Toll Free: 1-833-456-4566 - ENG, 1-866-277-3553 – FR) or the Kids Help Phone [phone]). For more help-seeking information, visit Movember.com/findhelp. 

About Movember: 
Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health on a global scale, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programmes that enable men to live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,250 projects around the world. In addition to tackling key health issues faced by men, Movember is working to encourage men to stay healthy in all areas of their life, with a focus on men staying socially connected and becoming more open to discussing their health and significant moments in their lives. The charity's vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men's health. To donate or learn more, please visit movember.com.

SOURCE Movember Canada

Press contact: Fresh PR, Jo-Anne Stayner, [email protected], [phone]; Movember Canada, Sonya Friesen, Public Relations Manager (Canada), [email protected], [phone]