Movember is a worldwide initiative that encourages men to grow their moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues. This year, the event is coming to the Algarve in a bid to convince as many men as possible to grow out their moustaches and “change the face of men’s health”.
The Algarve edition of Movember is organised by local residents Lee Moulton and Maria Loureiro de Lemos with the help of Portimão-based association Teia d’Impulsos.
Explains Lemos, “a moustache can lead to many questions, and we need to start talking about topics which are considered taboo among men – namely mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer”.
“Having fun is the key. We have men all over the world growing moustaches of all shapes and forms and explaining why they’re doing so. It’s a great way to start talking about these sensitive issues,” she added.
For men, the rules are simple. You have to be clean shaven on the first day of the month and let your moustache grow until December. You must also make a donation to the Movember Foundation on the initiative’s website (https://cutt.ly/movemberalgarve).
“For their donations, our Mo-Bros will get a set of Mo-Rules and Tips on how to rock the best Mo,” organisers say.
Those who donate €20 or more will also receive a Movember t-shirt and a free cut at one of the event’s partner barber shops: The Barber’s Bar in Praia da Luz, Morello Men’s Salon in Lagos, Barbershop Careca in Portimão or SouthSide Salon in Faro.
At the end of the month, there will be a vote on the initiative’s Instagram page to elect the “best Algarvean moustaches”. The ‘holder’ of the best moustache will win a SkyDive Algarve tandem jump. Several other prizes will also be awarded.
The HPA group is an official partner of the event and will also offer discounts on urology consultations and PSA tests for those who participate in the initiative.
So far, over 50 people have already signed up.
“The group dynamic that is created by these kinds of initiatives is very interesting and generates a very important cohesion – that is perhaps why we see lots of companies and informal groups signing up together,” said Lee Moulton.
Movember was created in 2003 by a group of 30 friends who decided to grow their moustaches in the name of a good cause. Today, there are believed to be over five million “Mo Bros and Mo Sisters” around the world. The Movember Foundation has already financed over 1,250 projects around the world related to mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
The initiative’s endgame is to have a lasting effect on men’s health and reduce the number of men who die prematurely by 25% by 2030.
