Stache for a good cause!

Magnum P.I. had one. Mike Ditka has one. Hulk Hogan has one. Reno 911 cops have them. The Beastie Boys in the "Sabotage" music video had them. I'm talking about the mustache. You don't see them very often, so when you see so many of them gathered in one place, you can't help but chuckle! On Dec 3, 2009 an enthusiastic group of men and women gathered at Bondi, in downtown San Diego to celebrate hairy upper lips. A little strange? Perhaps, but there was a message behind this madness. Men's Health Awareness, specifically Prostate and Testicular Cancer. The movement called "Movember" was started in 2003 by Adam Garone and a bunch of his friends in Australia. Men are given one month to grow a mustache and raise funds for prostate and testicular cancer research. Women help recruit men to grow a "mo", Australian slang for mustache, for the cause. They are an integral part in supporting the Movember movement! It is rapidly turning into a global event! Women have a very successful pink campaign for breast cancer awareness and generally have an easier time discussing their health. Men typically don't like to talk about their health issues. The mustache is a symbol that opens the door for men to speak about their health. A new mustache is the first thing you notice on someone when they walk into a room. I needed the full month of November to grow my mustache, but I was amazed by the responses I got from it. As a typically clean cut guy, the shock of my "mane" of facial hair drew snickers and jokes about my inability to wipe my mouth after drinking chocolate milk. Once my friends got over the shock of it, I quickly explained the reasoning for my attempt at a hairy upper lip. (I hope they will be participating next year so I can crack jokes about them.) The party at Bondi was full of characters! From "the Swedish Muppet Chef" to Olympian Swimmer, Mark Spitz I was cracking up the whole night! It was great to see people having fun rallying together to raise awareness for a common cause. There is something strangely entertaining about people with mustaches dancing! hahaha! Men's Health is an issue that definitely needs to be addressed! Women show a lot of solidarity in cancer with the pink campaigns. People rally around pink! Often it is for their mom, aunt, or grandma. So many people are touched by cancer. It's time we start looking out for brothers, dads, uncles, and grandpas!

*originally published on Dec 6, 2009 @ 19:31 www.ericgalvezdpt.com