The Green Timberwolf

Running Movember!

Blogged by: Emma and Sarai

YOUTH FOR EQUALITY

Movember is a month-long event where men grow moustaches in support of men battling prostate cancer and depression. At our school, Youth For Equality was in charge of running the event because we were interested in raising awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men. It is proven that breast cancer in women is far more researched and funded than prostate cancer in men despite both cancers being leading causes of death among men and women. One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and most men do not know what prostate cancer is and how to get tested whereas women know exactly what breast cancer is as there are thousands of foundations supporting the cause. We see pink ribbons for breast cancer all the time but Youth for Equality could not name a single foundation that supports prostate cancer and that is when we decided to run Movember.

We started with the help of our World Issues teacher Miss McLeod. We told her that we wanted to run Movember and she jumped right on it, sending the email we came up with to male teachers about the cause. After several great responses, we set up a booth on the first and second of November with a little moustache sign and some moustache glasses. We got students and teachers to take pictures with out themed items and we were off to a start! Throughout the month we encouraged staff and students to support the cause and to grow moustaches and we took to Twitter to raise awareness. On the last 2 days of November, we went around the school taking “after” photos of male staff that grew a moustache and other staff and students who supported the cause. We did feel that we could have tweeted a bit more about the cause but by the end of the month, we had a bunch of staff and a few students who grew out some tremendous moustaches.

All in all, running Movember was a great experience and we were glad to raise awareness for the cause. Below are some T-Wolves showing school spirit and support men fighting depression and prostate cancer!