So here we are. November 4th, after 10pm, Monday night. Too late to plan a marketing strategy, too late to recruit team members. I remember just yesterday it was April and I made a mental note that right after the next long weekend I’ll start asking people whether they want to get involved in Movember this year. What happened to the last 6 months? November rolled around, and so we jump in head first. The royal We.
I’ll keep it brief. I’ve been doing Movember for a couple of years – growing facial hair for a month, to promote men’s health, prostate cancer awareness, prevention and early detection – all that serious stuff hiding behind a gimmicky marketing ploy. I have fun doing it – mainly because I get to not shave for a month. Oh, and there’s that other benefit of donating money to a good cause. I also have a personal reason for doing it – two of my grandparents were lost to cancer a few years back. So I’m no fan of cancer. I often say ‘fuck cancer’ on social media. Some people don’t like that and unfollow me. “Heroes”. My guess is they probably never watched anyone dear to them wither away in a space of a few months (let’s say, between April and October) and disappear into a glassy-eyed shell. That’s not a pretty sight. Especially for a condition that can be detected and treated early.
So for me, Movember is a reminder of just how precious our older relatives were. For you, it should be a reminder to go and see a doctor with your older brother, dad, grandpa. That’s all I aim to do – raise awareness of your loved ones’ health by showing you my unshaven face for a few weeks. Cute, right?
And for that, I expect you to donate. Yes, my silly reminders will cost you. And yes, you will donate, because those $25 or $50 bucks (or if anyone from senior management reads this, we accept 3-figure contributions as well), those amounts will instantly be justified if you happen to catch something early and dodge a serious health issue.
We often forget to check in, wind down, detox, inspect – and it all adds up. So take a little time and see a doctor. About your heart, about your lungs, about your prostate. It is worth it. Maybe instead of saying ‘fuck cancer’, you’ll get to say ‘fuck off, cancer’. But before you do that – please donate here. It’s a good cause. There’s a fantastic community out there, spreading the word, engaging people. I promise to regularly post punny and childish things on social media, to make it worth your while. Like I said, I mainly do it because I don’t have to shave for a month.
Thanks in advance. Also, spread the word. Share the page. Control-See, Control-Vee. You know the drill.