Local firefighters gather in Toronto to kick-off the 14th annual Movember campaign in Canada. (Movember Canada)

Firefighters kick off Movember to promote men’s health

Firefighters from Toronto and Brampton, 45 km to the northwest, drove their decorated trucks to a Toronto fire station to kick off month-long activities in support of men’s health. This event on November 2, 2020 began the 14th annual Movember campaign in Canada to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. It is part of a world-wide campaign.

Movember Canada says it has never been more important to raise funds and awareness for men’s health because the pandemic has exacerbated feelings of anxiety, depression and grief. It calls this “a good time to come together and do some good while having a little fun, which everyone could use right now.”

The organization points out that in Canada, three out of four suicides are by men and it is the second leading cause of death for men aged 15 to 34. 

Many men ‘isolated and disconnected’

“Many guys are isolated and disconnected from their usual social support networks – and the places where men usually go to have those shoulder-to-shoulder conversations with their friends, like going out for a drink, watching or playing a sport, or going to the gym, have been severely reduced,” said Todd Minerson, director for Movember Canada in a statement. It goes on to quote a survey that four out of 10 men in Canada say no one has asked how they are coping during this pandemic and one-quarter of Canadian men have not checked in with friends or family compared with 13 per cent of women. 

Get help, urges Movember Canada

Movember Canada urges Canadians to seek help when needed suggesting calls to Suicide Prevention Service (toll free at 1 833 456-4566 in English and, in French 1 866 277-3553. For children the Kids Help Phone can be reached at 1 800  668-6868.) It offers more resources on its website.

While men are invited to grow moustaches for Movember, women have found creative ways to be involved too. (iStock)

Grow a moustache, run, hold virtual events, suggest organizers

Movember Canada suggests several activities for those who want to get involved. It reminds people of the original initiative which was that men get clean-shaven at the beginning of the month and grow whatever style of moustache they like for the rest of November. Organizers suggest running or walking 60 km over the next month for the 60 men lost to suicide every hour across the world. They also suggest people rally a crew and do something fun, saying virtual events are easy to organize, cheap to operate and “you can go in your slippers.”

Funds raised go toward funding global programs and research aimed at tackling the issues of men’s mental and physical health. 

Several projects already launched

Several projects have already launched in 2020 including a free online “conversation simulator” to kick start conversations with men who might be struggling, a project to solicit innovative ideas to better connect with men amid isolation, and mental health grants for veterans and first responders.

The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that  about 1 in 9 Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 29 will die from it. It estimates 1,150 Canadian men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2020 and 35 will die from the disease.

Categories: Health, Society
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