Fort Erie backs Movember with moustaches and mobile cancer screening

To many, the month of November conjures images of a sea of newly grown moustaches and beards everywhere they turn.

Sometimes this unusual facial hair growth brings a chuckle or two, but the objective is to start serious conversations: Mo Bros across the world are out there spreading the word about Movember.

The Movember Foundation is the leading charity for men’s health issues and aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths from diseases including prostate and testicular cancers, and men’s mental health issues and suicide.

Participants are asked to fundraise throughout the month of November by growing moustaches or beards and spreading awareness about the importance of cancer screening and early detection, as well as breaking the stigma surrounding men seeking mental health support.

Originating as a pub night conversation between a group of friends in Australia in 1999, the movement has exploded to worldwide proportions.

To date it has attracted over 5 million participants since the inception of the foundation in 2003. Over $837 million has been raised and has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects globally.

As of 2011, Canadians were the largest contributors to Movember charities of any nation.

As it turns out, the Movember message is one that should be shouted from the rooftops. Between rising cancer rates and mental health issues, too many men are dying far too young.

According to the Canadian Urological Association, testicular cancer is the most common solid malignancy in males ages 15 to 29. Despite it having a low mortality rate, 100 per cent of the men who do not obtain treatment will die.

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in the U.S. It is highly treatable but needs to be caught and treated in time.

The gold standard for detection is a full physical examination, as OHIP does not cover regular prostate cancer screening tests until the age of 50 unless a doctor suspects the diagnosis or there is a close family history of the disease.

Having lost family to these diseases, Dr. Nicholas Slowinski from Windrose Health Centre on Garrison Road holds the Movember movement close to his heart. He participates in the campaign every year.

In an emailed statement to Fort Erie Radio, Slowinski said that his “biggest motivator is to be an example for members of my community and exemplify these things as a healthcare provider in Niagara, and of course Fort Erie specifically.”

He also stressed the importance of men looking out for each other.

A great local example is the Circle Back Foundation, which advocates for lowering the screening age for colorectal cancer in Canada.

Though not directly tied to Movember, discussions on colorectal cancer are just as important.

Established in memory of Fort Erie local Adam Joon after a late diagnosis of colorectal cancer took his life at the age of 44, the foundation hosts multiple fundraiser events throughout the year to fund, support, and encourage research into colorectal cancer, immunotherapies, and treatments.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Canadians between the ages of 29 and 49 and is highly treatable, but routine screening isn’t covered by OHIP until the age of 50.

Studies show that the rates of this cancer in young people are on the rise, so it is important for more research to be done to prove how crucial early screening is.

Circle Back Foundation will be hosting a dance party at Legacy Bar and Grill in Crystal Beach this Saturday.

Starting at 8 p.m., a portion of select drink sales will directly support the foundation. There will also be a raffle to win a foursome in the 2025 Circle Back golf tournament.

Early detection and diagnosis of these conditions is crucial to saving lives.

For anyone without access to a family physician to help with cancer screening, the Mobile Cancer Screening Coach will be at Bridges Community Health Centre on Garrison Road three times this November:

• November 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• November 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• November 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To make an appointment, call (855) 338-3131.

In terms of mental health, men are often more resistant to seeking psychological help than women.

In fact, according to the World Health Organization, males are twice as likely to die by suicide as women, but in the U.S. that number rises to four times.

More than 6 million American men experience symptoms of depression annually and most of them go undiagnosed.

Movember encourages having tough conversations in hopes of eliminating stigma and reducing unnecessary deaths.

There are numerous mental health resources available, several of which are local.

For instance, the Mental Health and Addictions Access Line can be reached by calling (866) 550-5205.

This is a free service for Niagara residents over the age of 16 and will connect callers with the appropriate mental health and addictions services. This toll-free line is open 24 hours a day but is not a crisis line.

The Suicide Prevention and Life Promotion hotline can be reached by calling or texting 988, but for immediate risk to self or others, call 911.

Distress Centre Niagara is a free and confidential 24/7 service. Fort Erie residents can call (905) 382-0689.

And for online support, headsupguys.org is one of the world’s leading mental health resources for men.

Instead of chuckling at all those awkward moustaches this month, consider thanking those men for raising awareness and funds for these important causes. And let them be a reminder to book an annual physical.

To participate in Movember, go to ca.movember.com and start a fundraising campaign, or search for existing campaigns to donate to.

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