As November rolls along, you may notice the people around you getting....well, hairier. If so, it's probably because they are participating in the men's health awareness movement commonly known as No-Shave November.
The movement is believed to have started in 2003, when a couple of Australian buddies decided to grow mustaches. A year later their effort morphed into a fundraiser called Movember, which raised money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
In 2009, the Hill family of Chicago, Illinois, used a similar effort already known as No-Shave November to raise money for charity on behalf of their father, Matthew Hill, who passed away in 2007 from colon cancer.
These two campaigns now work together each November, with participants looking to raise money and awareness around men's health, with a particular emphasis on cancer. The idea is for people to let their hair grow naturally as a way to honor cancer patients who often lose their hair while receiving treatment.
No-Shave November/Movember challenges men in particular to make their health more of a priority by making lifestyle changes and staying up-to-date on important screenings. Two forms of cancer that are prevalent in men are often highlighted during the month's activities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer (often called colon cancer) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Alabama.
Common symptoms of colon cancer include:
Adults between the age of 45 and 75 are encouraged to get screened for colon cancer. There are several tests which can detect the presence of colon cancer, including many that can be done at home. Visit the CDC to learn more about screening options.
Visit Colorectal Cancer at ADPH for more information.
The CDC rates prostate cancer as the most common cancer among men in the United States (aside from non-melanoma skin cancer). While it is a serious disease, most men who are diagnosed with it do not die from it. While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, it is most likely to develop in older men, and particularly in African American men.
Prostate cancer symptoms may differ from person to person, and the majority of men do not have symptoms at all. Common symptoms include:
There are two tests that are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer:
ADPH works with the Urology Health Foundation to offer free prostate cancer screenings in Alabama. Visit ADPH Prostate Cancer Screenings for dates and information.
Visit Alabama Healthy Men for resources around common health concerns for men, including heart disease, unintentional injuries, diabetes, and more.