This year I’ve registered for Movember. That’s right I’m a Mo Bro. Today is day four of my moustache growing campaign and I’m currently referring to it as the slowmo. For those of you who aren’t aware of Movember here’s the low down; Each year during the month of November men all around the world ditch their razors and start cultivating a moustache. The aim of which is to raise funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and depression. Mo Bros as we’re known effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through our actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.
Possible day 30 result | Mo Man!
Whilst I don’t suffer from either of these conditions 2011 has been a tough year for me. Earlier in the year I was misdiagnosed with a torn chest muscle which actually turned out to be a pulmonary embolism, the result of a huge blood clot in my leg that had broken up and travelled in to my lungs. I spent a short amount of time in hospital, underwent untold tests and was in a huge amount of pain. It was a lucky escape. I still take medication daily and have my blood tested every two weeks. This experience has given me a much greater respect for the need to be aware of what’s happening to your body and the need for regular checkups. I think Movember is a worthy cause, New Zealand and Australian men especially, tend to have a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude towards their health. If Movember helps create some open dialogue and starts to chip away at this attitude, then that’s okay with me.
If you’d like to help me raise money for men’s health jump over to my Movember page and donate a few dollars. Even just a dollar, it all helps. On that page and to a lesser extent here, I’ll post regular updates of my mo as it progresses from the slowmo to something a little more creative. I’m hoping to create a time lapse of the mo towards the end of the month that will document its progress.
Day 3 - The slowmo
That’s my story. I hope you’ll help me out.
Shane. Soon to be known as ‘Mo Man’.
