Australians Jim Slattery (left) and original Movember Mo Bro Travis Garone. Photo / Kenny Rodger
Australians Jim Slattery (left) and original Movember Mo Bro Travis Garone. Photo / Kenny Rodger
KEY POINTS:
Facial hair makes a comeback today as men around the country forgo a shave to raise money for prostate cancer.
Movember last year literally changed the face of men's health, with 10,755 men ignoring the threat of pash rash to raise more than $880,000 for the Prostate CancerFoundation.
This year, organisers hope to recruit 15,000 Mo Bros to grow and groom their moustaches to a $1.2 million target.
The movement, which started in Australia, is also sprouting wings - five other countries are taking part this year.
Women have not been left out - Mo Sistas are needed to help to raise funds and show support.
The Golden Gate Lodge in Cromwell is taking a more participatory approach. While the men grow moustaches, the women are being asked to leave their left armpit unshaven for a month.
Last year, the competition drew 14 women - a number expected to grow this year with two top prizes of two tickets each to Sydney for the women with the biggest growth and best design.
"Anything that gets a bloke along to a doctor, even if just to talk to his doctor, is a good thing," said Barry Young, president of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Money raised last year went towards funding new research, setting up support groups in the smaller centres, and information DVDs for men coming to terms with a prostate cancer diagnosis and its after-math.
Every year 2600 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and around 600 die.
