Raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer
The Middlesex Hospital Alliance (MHA) is asking for your help to raise awareness and funds for men’s health in celebration of the ‘month of the Mo’.
Movember is the month formerly known as November, and a moustache growing charity event each year that raises funds and awareness for prostate cancer initiatives.
Middlesex Hospital Alliance Team Participates in “Grow Your Mo” in Support of Prostate Cancer Initiatives Movember is the month formerly known as November. The month of November is gaining recognition as a moustache-growing month that helps raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.
“Mo” is slang for moustache in Australia. Movember originated in Australia started by Adam Garone who along with 29 other men in 2003 grew moustaches for no particular reason other than to ‘bring it back’. They created the rules that still stand today – you’ve got to start the month clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for 30 days. In 2004, they decided that it was such a great journey and so much fun, that they should add a cause to it.
Garone has always been passionate about his health and wellness. He was inspired by women fundraising for breast cancer but found there wasn’t any similar cause to draw attention to a men’s health initiative.
After doing some research, he found that prostate cancer is the equivalent to breast cancer in terms of the number of men who are diagnosed and die, so they decided to use the month of the “Mo” to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.
‘Changing the face of men’s health’ describes the challenge; changing your appearance and then changing men’s attitudes and understanding about their own health.
Statistics show that in Canada, one in seven men will get prostate cancer and one in twenty-eight will die from this cancer.
A number of Movember teams from the Strathroy area have registered online, including a team named the Middlesex Hospital Alliance Mo’s for Bros’ consisting of Michael Mazza, CEO, Paul Long, CFO, Andrew King, Safety Officer, Ed Wheatley, Chief Development Officer, SMGH Foundation, Ed Hayden of the Salvation Army, Roy Armas, Admitting Department, Ryan Whitney, Environmental Services, Chris Das, SMGH Foundation Board member, Derek Resendes, Information Management, Darrin Ackworth, RN, Ryan Goering, Diagnostic Imaging, Rob Forbes and Aires Fernandes.
The initiative at the MHA started with Andrew King, Safety Officer. “I just felt that something should be done related to this cancer that affects so many men,” said King. “When I learned about what they were doing in Australia and how successful it has been, I thought we should be doing this in Strathroy.”
Chris Das of Sun Life Financial has a similar sentiment: “I was motivated to get involved because this is a men’s health issue. Men don’t look after their health the way they should. Our local hospital does cancer surgery for breast and bowel but I was surprised to learn that prostate cancer surgery isn’t done at our local hospital, I think it should be.”
“As a new Director at the SMGH Foundation, I intend to do everything I can to ensure the hospital has all the resources it needs to provide the community with the best possible healthcare,” said Das.
“SMGH does provide some prostate procedures but does not specifically perform prostate cancer surgery. These specific cases are currently referred to London,” said Mike Mazza, MHA CEO.
When asked, Paul Long MHA Chief Financial Officer said, “It’s about growing facial hair to help a type of cancer treatment that affects only men. Although I have not had facial hair for a number of decades, I decided when I heard about this cause that I needed to participate.”
For more information on the programs we are funding please visit: