No-Shave November and Movember– movements to raise cancer awareness– are underway.
They both are causes raising awareness to cancer. However, there are some slight differences between the two events.
Originating in 2003 in Australia, Movember, with participants in more than 20 countries, is to raise awareness of men’s health issues and cancer of men’s reproductive organs, such as prostate and testicular cancer.
Movember participants are raising awareness of men’s health and cancer of men’s reproductive organs, such as prostate and testicular cancer.
In 2014, an estimated 233,000 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer according to the National Cancer Institute. According to the institute’s estimates, approxamately 13 percent of those victims are unlikely to survive.
Testicular cancer, unlike other cancers, has around a 99 percent survival rate. The institute estimated 8,820 new diagnoses of that illness in 2014.
In order to participate in Movember, men are to grow a mustache.
Women are encouraged to cheer those growing a mustache. Participants also are to promote healthier diets and lifestyles to prevent cancer.
No-Shave November began in 2009. It was started as a way to raise awareness for cancer in general. The organization began as a Facebook page and, now, is teamed up with the American Cancer Society.
Professional business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi members are to sell shirts for $10 each. A portion of the proceeds are being donated to prostate cancer research. The shirts are to be sold all month long or until supplies runs out.
Alpha Kappa Psi fundraising chair Mohamed Hasson said he is participating in No-Shave November.
Along with Hasson, other Pitt-Johnstown students and even some faculty are participating.
Paul Newman, Vice President of Academic Affairs, is participating for his second time. Newman participates in honor of his wife’s late grandfather, Earl Winters, who died in 2005 of prostate cancer, according to Newman.
Vice President of Student Affairs Shawn Brooks also is participating for his second time.
“It’s about to snow,” said Brooks as he talked of his multiple reasons for participating.
There is an element of fun to the challenge of growing out facial hair.
“All my older brothers do (participate), they have some wicked beards,” said junior Austin Good.
Good said his first year to take part was last year because he could finally grow facial hair. “It’s something to do, and (it) is for a good cause,” said Good.
While the facial hair continues to grow, the beards or mustaches can become itchy and irritating, causing some men to fall just a little short of the full month of November.
“I only make it like three weeks and then I just have to shave,” said Josh Horner, Pitt-Johnstown senior.