Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Egli, Movember Ottawa co-chair Chris Murray, Mayor Jim Watson, and Movember Ottawa co-chair Samir Khan pose at the Movember flag.
The efforts of Ottawa “Mo Bros” to raise money and awareness while growing interesting facial hair were recognized today with a ceremony at city hall, where Mayor Jim Watson officially declared this month “Movember.”
“Movember is working to raise awareness for men’s mental health by placing it on the agenda and on the upper lips of all men in Ottawa,” said Watson. “Together with women who support them, these fine ‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Mo Sistas’ have started conversations about mental health and raised donations in support of prostate cancer.”
Movember is an annual initiative where men around the world grow mustaches in the month of November to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. Last year, Canada was the global leader for the most funds raised.
The mayor raised a Movember flag declaring, “Moustache is King” outside city hall and presented an official proclamation to Movember Canada’s Ottawa chapter.
This year’s Movember is bigger than ever, with over a million registered participants in Ottawa, said Chris Murray, co-chair of Movember Ottawa. They have had support from community organizations, particularly fitness facilities, which have held events to promote men’s physical health, as well as restaurants, which have promoted healthy eating.
While previous years’ campaigns have focused on prostate cancer, this year has added men’s mental health.
“Mental health issues hit home with a lot of people,” said Movember Ottawa co-chair Samir Khan. “So many people are affected by mental illnesses as well as physical illnesses, so just being able to grow that mustache and show people their support tells them that it’s okay to talk about it.”
Khan said for someone struggling with mental health issues, seeing men around the city sporting mustaches tells them they are not alone.
There are currently 237,000 participants across Canada and $19 million has been raised so far, said Murray.
“We’re in the last two weeks now,” said Murray. “Once those mustaches really start to poke through, that’s when people get excited.”