"Here's how to celebrate Movember this November!"

A moustache takes on special significance in November, writes Harnoor Gill, 16, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Georgetown in Canada, as he describes how for one month it becomes a symbol of men’s health issues.

One of my favourite awareness months is designed with a focus on men’s health.

Movember is celebrated each November. This is the time of year that I get to feel proud for sporting a moustache to raise awareness about men’s health issues. Among these issues are raising awareness for testicular and prostate cancer and research. Let’s take a look at what this month signifies, what it makes people aware about, and how the message can be spread about such an amazing cause.

This is a significant month for people to be able to have an impact on men’s health. This event is also responsible for the sprouting of millions of moustaches across the world for a cause so unique. The goal throughout this whole month is to attempt to grow a moustache for the 30 days of November. By growing a moustache for “Movember” we are able to raise vital funds and awareness to combat prostate and testicular cancer as well as mental health challenges.

Another way to assist in this year’s Movember campaign is to raise awareness about the different types of cancer that affect men’s health. Prostate and testicular are the two cancers that are the focus of the funds and awareness raised by the moustache campaign. Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that is specific to men, as women don’t have a prostate gland. Prostate cancer is a great risk to men, and the incidence has risen recently as one in seven men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime and one in 28 will die of it. Testicular cancer is the second most common type of cancer after skin cancers but it is highly treatable with a very good cure rate of over 95 per cent.

Last but not least, Movember is to raise awareness by sporting a moustache, wearing some of the promotional merchandise, and raising awareness about it to others around you. Not everyone can sport a moustache but for those who can November is the finest time to do it. It is a supportive way of raising awareness about these health issues that many men go through in their everyday lives.

To those who cannot sport a moustache for Movember, they can show off merchandise that supports the funding and research of testicular and prostate cancer at http://ca.movember.com/merchandise/. To those social birds out there, why not use your surroundings wisely by sharing this with your friends and peers through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Pinterest, Myspace, Linkedin and bbm.

Let’s all have an epic and hairy Movember to celebrate this November!

photo credit: MatiasSingers via photopin cc

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About me: I am a student in Georgetown, Canada, and founder of the Peace Welcome Club. I love to volunteer, read, write, and play basketball. I volunteer with local environmental and youth organizations and am dedicated to raising awareness about youth volunteering. My writing has been published in Indo-Canadian Voice, Asian Journal, Times of India, The Independent & Free Press, and in Amazing Kids! Magazine.

https://www.facebook.com/PeaceWelcomeClub

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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response.
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/

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