Twenty something days into November and the novelty of a lip tickling tash is beginning to wear thin but with every supportive/ mocking comment I think it's doing its job!
Movember seems to continue to grow year on year (pardon the pun!), some grow a Mo to see what they look like with a moustache with the safety net of telling people "its for Movember!". Others are challenged by colleagues and raise a bit of cash for their efforts. I have done both in the past but this year I had slightly different reasons.
Since opening The Clubhouse I have the pleasure of meeting many different people everyday. Some I will meet once, some I see almost daily for their caffeine or brownie fix! This puts me in a unique position to raise the profile of Movember and talk about the reasons behind the silly face fuzz. The stiff upper lip, shut up and get on with it in British culture proved a great strength as we survived 2 World Wars and the difficulty of post war Britain, but for all its strengths it has lead to some massive flaws, particularly in the male population. Reluctance to talk about certain areas of the anatomy and mental health has caused serious issues.
When you think about it, how silly is it that you put your life at risk by not going to the doctors because you are embarrassed to have a prostate check up or to talk about a change in your testicles. I've had the pleasure of speaking to a few doctors, and let me tell you, no matter how bad you think it is, your prostate or testicles are no where near the worst thing they will have to deal with that day!! Plus, inspecting your body, finding nothing wrong, popping the latex gloves in the bin and moving on is a way better day for your Doctor than having to sit you down 6 months later to tell you there is nothing they can do for you because you have come to them to late. Ask any doctor and they will tell you that popping a finger up a guys arse is a million times better than a fully clothed conversation telling them they are too late and palliative care is all they can offer.
This comes to the reason for this ridiculous facial hair I have been cultivating. Alongside raising a few quid for the Movember Foundation my main reason has been to raise the issue of mens health & mental health. If one person looks at my face and thinks... "I should really check my balls next time I am in the shower" or "I'll ring the doctors and book that prostate check up" then I have done my job!
I've enjoyed seeing the various reactions to my moustache, hopefully its raised some awareness, and if it helps anyone take that step to get checked then that is perfect!
Some Useful Links
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/mens-health/what-should-my-testicles-look-and-feel-like/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-problems/