Movember, formerly known as November, has arrived and we are half way through a month that is now celebrated by thousands of men worldwide, growing moustaches.
From the famous sporting stars (I offer up Lance Armstrong, Jensen Button, Kevin Pietersen and Gary Lineker for a start), to the ordinary man in the street, there is a kinship to be had during this month; a joyous togetherness in producing hairy top lips.......
Why? The answer is simple. Cancer.
Cancer? What's the connection between moustaches and cancer? None really, except a tenuous, but powerful one. If you get cancer and start a course of chemotherapy, you will lose all your hair...including your moustache. If you are lucky, you'll make it through and your hair will grow back, even your 'mo' should you want it (and who would to be honest?).
Sadly, too many people still don't get the chance to regrow their hair, too many people succumb to this pervasive, unremitting, vicious disease. As I have moved into my 40's, so the number of people I have known who have suffered from or have lost their life to cancer has also increased. Only a week or so ago, an old college friend lost her brave battle against cancer.
So this growth spurt / sprouting season is motivated by a desire to raise awareness of and funds for cancer, specifically male cancer charities; in particular prostate and testicular cancer.
Hence the awful pictures at the top of this post. I wouldn't ordinarily walk around with a beaver nesting under my nose. But if it helps people understand and gain more knowledge about cancer, I'll gladly grow my mo.
If it helps in the fight against cancer and towards finding a cure and in the treatment of cancer patients, I will be proud to sport my moustache and will happily encourage all those people staring at the under-nose-slug to ask me what I have a mo for.
Maybe they'll grow one, maybe they'll donate, but maybe they'll think more about the need to tackle cancer and to check themselves for lumps and bumps in places they shouldn't be and hopefully be one of the fortunate ones who, should they develop cancer, catch it early enough, get cured and keep on living life to the full.
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