Why Movember? Why Not?!

At first, I had conflicting feelings towards Movember. No, it had nothing to do with the true heart of the incredible cause that Movember represents. It had to do with my fear of mustaches.

At the beginning, I believed that the mustache only belonged to two types of people, dads and villains from the 1920’s. When Movember was first created, I remember looking around and finding myself drowning in a sea of Tom Sellecks, Snidely Whiplashes (hopefully, some readers will get that reference), and variations of my father’s mustache makeovers circa 1990. It was a vaguely terrifying experience for me, and I found myself taking cover in my basement apartment for the entire month of November, praying that the mustache mayhem would be over soon and I could resume my integration into a mustache-free society.

Like all things, it is important to do your research. When it became apparent that Movember was here to stay, I did some reading on the nature of the cause, hoping that it was not merely an excuse for the men of the world to look terrifying. I was moved and inspired by the information that I uncovered.

With its origins in Australia, Movember has been going strong for a decade. Men begin clean shaven and then proceed to grow their mustaches over the month of November to raise awareness of testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and mental health issues. Many men can register with the campaign online and raise money for the cause. In 2012, the campaign has raised over $146.6 million dollars worldwide and has started a revolution in finding a cure for a disease that has claimed the lives of so many husbands, fathers, brothers, and friends.

Suddenly, I felt guilty for judging the Mo. How could I be so blind to something that was so important to so many people? I frantically took to the internet, repenting my anti-mustache ways, looking for a way that I could best serve the cause in my own way. As always, the internet came to my aid and discovered the Mo Sistas.

Although we can’t grow the epic mustaches that we see on our male counterparts (thankfully), the women of this world have an equal part to play in raising awareness. By registering through the Movember website, ladies can show their support for the cause by raising money and speaking about the cause to friends and family without having to sport the upper lip hair. This way, both men and women can unite in a mutual revolution that will change the face of mental and physical well-being once and for all.

I am proud to be a part of the Yoga Tree community during the month of Movember. Our team will be registering online and raising awareness, so be sure to stay tuned to our blog, Twitter, and Facebook for Movember updates. Not only will you see some legendary mustaches from our male staff, but you may find a few of our female staff sporting a fake Mo for the cause!

Once a skeptic, now converted, I am honored to support the Mo. In days gone by, there were some fine gentlemen who donned the most prestigious of crafted mustaches, and it feels wonderful to say that there is a new era of gentlemen doing the same. I urge you all to take the time to support, register, and become a part of the battle to fight cancer. Your health and upper lip will thank you.

For more information, visit http://ca.movember.com/

Contributing author:Lauren Messervey.
Lauren is the social media coordinator for Yoga Tree. An avid Yogi with a love for Tree Pose, she is originally from Atlantic Canada and joined the bustling city of Toronto in June of last year. You may find her in the Midtown region, practicing Yoga or blogging for Yoga Tree. She is currently completing her first novel, set to be released Spring 2014.


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