By Matthew Laurrie
Features Assignment Editor
The St. Bonaventure community can expect to see a few more moustaches sprouting up on campus than usual next month. While students and faculty members may be familiar with “No Shave November,” where men don’t shave for the entire month, a new cause called “Movember” is growing in popularity.
During the month of November, men are encouraged to grow a moustache to support men’s health awareness as part of the Movember (a combination of the words moustache and November) campaign. Movember is an annual initiative to raise money and spread awareness about prostate and testicular cancer, according to the campaign’s website.
David Hilmey, assistant professor of chemistry, is the force behind bringing Movember to campus. Hilmey said he participated in the campaign last year and thought it would be worthwhile to encourage Bonaventure men to sport some ‘staches this year. The group calls itself “MoBonas.”
“One of the issues is that men typically don’t get checked for things and they don’t understand that you have to do self-exams to make sure that you are keeping healthy,” Hilmey said. “Men don’t like to go to the doctors (and) they don’t like to talk about these issues, but the idea behind Movember (is) growing a moustache (and) raising awareness about these kinds of things.”
Kyle Jose, a junior sports studies major, reflected on the purpose of Movember and its impact on the male population.
“Prostate and testicular cancer are serious issues in men’s health,” Jose said. “Growing a mustache is a fun way to raise awareness and funds for these issues. Movember is a great way to get (men) to learn about the threat they face and how they can combat it.”
Jose said he hopes moustaches across campus garner attention and prompt people to learn more about the campaign.
“I think when most people see a college student with a mustache they know that something is happening,” he said. “In this case, it’s Movember.”
The money the MoBona team raises will go toward supporting cancer research and other initiatives to advance knowledge of men’s health. Hilmey said the group hopes to raise $2,500 and gain upwards of a hundred participants.
Brother Kevin Kriso, O.F.M., collaborated with Hilmey to promote the campaign on campus. Brother Kevin said female Bonnies can support Movember as well.
“There is something called MoSistas,” Brother Kevin said. “MoSistas are women who support the cause. They don’t have to try to grow moustaches, but they encourage their male friends to do it and help raise awareness about it.”
Nicholas Turgeon, a junior chemistry major, said Movember is a unique way to spread awareness about men’s health issues, especially since he believes women’s health issues are generally more publicized.
“Driving down the highway one day, I saw a giant billboard that said, ‘Mammogram. We’re not taking this down until every woman has had one’ in large capital letters,” Turgeon said. “Wouldn’t it be (great) if there was something like that for men, too? I’m more than happy to wear a giant billboard on my upper lip for the month of November to let everyone know that it is important to watch out for your health, even if you’re a guy.”
Anyone interested in joining the moustache mayhem at Bona’s can visit us.movember.com and search the “MoBona” team name, or contact Hilmey or Brother Kevin via email.
Hilmey said he hopes the entire campus participates or supports Movember in some capacity.
“We’re hoping that if you’re walking down campus between classes, you won’t be able to go too far without seeing a mustache,” he said. “We’ll show our Bona pride by doing this together.”
