MOVEMBER CAMPAIGN – HIGHLIGHTING MEN’S HEALTH ISSUES – SPECIFICALLY PROSTRATE CANCER, TESTICULAR CANCER AND SUICIDE PREVENTION – HELP SAVE MEN’S LIVES “Movember – Stopping Men Dying Too Young”
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
About The Movember Foundation and Campaign
The aim of the ‘Movember Foundation’ is simply ‘Stopping men dying too young’. Their mission statement says that “Our fathers, partners, brothers and friends face a health crisis that isn’t being talked about. Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent and that’s why we’re taking action.” The Movember Foundation claims to be the only charity tackling men’s health on a global scale, year round, addressing some of the biggest health issues faced by men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention. The Charity says that they know what works for men, and how to find and fund the most innovative research to have both a global and local impact. They’re independent of government funding, so they can challenge the status quo and invest quicker in what works. In 13 years the Charity proudly claims to have funded more than 1,200 men’s health projects around the world. The Charity’s aspiration is to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25%, by 2030. They are appealing for anyone interested to help stop men dying too young by joining the movement. The Movember Foundation’s strategy is all about going where men need them most. They say they know what works for men and they aim to transform the way research into men’s health is done, and the way health services reach and support men.
The Movember Foundation is now concentrating on three key men’s health issues:-
Prostate Cancer:
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and rates are on the rise. By 2030 there’ll be 1.7 million men living with prostate cancer. It’s already killing hundreds of thousands of men each year, and those who survive face serious side effects. We can’t afford to let this continue. So the Movember Foundation is taking action. The Movember Foundation says “We’ve spent years learning how to tackle the toughest cancer challenges in innovative ways. Now it’s time to draw a line in the sand. By 2030 they aim to halve the number of men dying from prostate cancer.”
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK.
Know the facts and take action early: https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/prostate-cancer
Testicular Cancer:
When testicular cancer strikes, it strikes young. Most of those men are between 15 and 40 years old. We have to help them, and stop men from dying too young. The Movember Foundations says “We’ve spent years learning how to tackle the toughest cancer challenges in innovative ways. Now it’s time to draw a line in the sand. By 2030 we’ll halve the number of men dying from testicular cancer.”
In most cases, the outcome for men with testicular cancer is positive, but a 95% chance of survival is no comfort to the 1 man in 20 who won’t make it.
Know the facts and take action early: https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/testicular-cancer
Suicide Prevention:
Depression doesn’t discriminate. And it’s not something that just goes away once you’ve been told to ‘toughen up’ and get on with life. Globally, the rate of suicide is alarmingly high, particularly in men. Around the world, on average we lose a man to suicide every minute of every day. Three out of four suicides are men. Too many are toughing it out and struggling alone. We have to take action to improve mental health and reduce the rate of male suicide. The Movember Foundations says “We’re working toward a world where men and boys take action to be mentally healthy and well, and are supported by their friends, family and community during tough times. We’re working to immediately stop the increase in male suicide rates. By 2030 we’ll reduce the rate of male suicides by 25%.”
1 in 8 men in the UK have experienced a mental health problem.
3 out of four 4 suicides are men.
What can we do?
Talk. Ask. Listen. Encourage action. Check in: https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/mental-health
Read about the Movember Foundation’s Work:
• Prostate Cancer: https://uk.movember.com/programs/prostate-cancer
• Testicular Cancer: https://uk.movember.com/programs/testicular-cancer
• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: https://uk.movember.com/programs/mental-health
Movember is an annual campaign, highlighting men’s health issues. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health. The Movember Foundation works with men’s health partners, the Prostate Cancer Charity and The Institute of Cancer Research, prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. Movember has continued to grow each year, both in terms of participation numbers and funds raised. Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has been committed to helping men live happier, healthier, longer lives. Millions have joined in.
In its first year 30 volunteer fund-raisers known as “Mo-Bros” took part in Movember and since then thanks to the support of ‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Mo Sistas’ the Charity has funded more than 1,200 projects saving and improving the lives of men all around the world.
From humble beginnings back in 2003 the Movember movement has grown to be a global one, inspiring support from over 5 million ‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Mo Sistas’. The Movember Foundation wouldn’t be where it is without the enthusiasm of all of those men and women around the globe and the organisation is committed to keeping things fresh, keeping the community informed, and always being transparent and accountable in their practices.
To date, Movember has raised over £443 million globally for the fight against prostate cancer, testicular cancer and depression in men. Going forward, Movember will continue to work towards helping to change established habits and attitudes and make men aware of the risks they face, thereby increasing early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment
Spreading the Word – How it Works
Movember’s tag line is ‘changing the face of men’s health’ which articulately describes the challenge – volunteers change their appearance by growing a moustache during November and the outcome – changing the understanding and attitudes men have towards their health. The moustache is Movember’s ribbon, it is the catalyst by which Movember intends to bring about real change through the awareness generated by the simple act of growing a Mo. The appearance of a moustache on a usually clean shaven man prompts questions from those around them. Throughout the month of Movember they are constantly asked the question – why the moustache? Each volunteer (Mo-Bro) then needs to justify his new look with an explanation about the unique challenges men face with their health, and key messages about prostate and testicular cancer and male depression and suicide. The result is a highly effective and authentic word-of-mouth campaign. The ‘Mens Health’ Awareness and Education Issue
On average men die five to six years younger than women. The suicide rate is four times higher for men than women and more than five men die prematurely each hour from potentially preventable illnesses. These are hard hitting facts; especially when you consider that there is no biological disadvantage that puts men at greater risk than women and according to recent research up to half of male cancer cases could be prevented by making healthy diet and lifestyle choices. The reasons for the current state of men’s health are numerous and complex but it appears that the biggest issue is the way in which men think about their health; preventative health being something many men just don’t compute. It is this issue that Movember’s Awareness and Education program is working hard to change. Awareness and education alters behaviour and mind-sets, it gradually breaks down barriers, removes stigmas and brings about real change. Movember wants men to take responsibility for their health, prevent illness by leading a healthy lifestyle and understand the symptoms and signs in both themselves and others so they can appreciate when and how to seek help if needed. Prostate Cancer Facts
• One man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK.
• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK.
• In the UK 41,000 men are diagnosed every year, over 100 a day.
• 1 in 9 men will get prostate cancer in the UK.
• 250,000 men are living with prostate cancer.
• 10,000 men die every year from prostate cancer in the UK.
• Ethnicity: African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer.
• Family: you are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it.
• Diet: if you have a diet rich in fat, dairy products and red meat, this may increase your risk of developing prostate cancer (and other health conditions).
• It is important that men of all ages are aware of their prostate and prostate cancer.
Testicular Cancer Facts
• There are around 2,300 new cases of testicular cancer in the UK every year, that’s around 6 cases diagnosed every day.
• Testicular cancer accounts for less than 1% of all new cases in the UK.
• In males in the UK, testicular cancer is the 16th most common cancer, with around 2,300 cases diagnosed.
• Almost half (47%) of testicular cancer cases in the UK each year are diagnosed in males aged under 35.
• Since the late 1970s, testicular cancer incidence rates in males have increased by 90% in Great Britain.
• Over the last decade, testicular cancer incidence rates in males have increased by around a tenth (11%) in the UK.
• Most testicular cancers occur in descended testicles.
• Incidence rates for testicular cancer are projected to rise by 12% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 10 cases per 100,000 males by 2035.
• 1 in 195 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer during their lifetime.
• Testicular cancer in England is less common in males living in the most deprived areas.
• Testicular cancer is more common in White males than in Asian or Black males.
• In the UK around 18,600 people were still alive up to ten years after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.
• In Europe, around 21,500 new cases of testicular cancer were estimated to have been diagnosed. The UK incidence rate is 19th highest in Europe.
• Worldwide, around 55,300 new cases of testicular cancer were estimated to have been diagnosed, with incidence rates varying across the world.
Suicide Facts
• There are around 6,600 suicides in the UK and Republic of Ireland each year.
• This corresponds to a suicide rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people (16.8 per 100,000 for men and 5.2 per 100,000 for women).
• The highest annual suicide rate in the UK is for men aged 45-49 at 26.5 per 100,000.
• The male suicide rate decreased in the UK (by 5.6%), England (by less than 1%), Wales (by 37.6%), Scotland (by 17.6%), Northern Ireland (by 10.2%) and Republic of Ireland (by 6.4%) the last full year of available statistics.
• Female suicide rates increased in the UK (by 8.3%), England (by 14%), Scotland (by 7.8%) and Republic of Ireland (by 14.7%) between 2013 and 2014. Female suicide rates decreased in Wales (by 38.2%) and Northern Ireland (by 17.7%).
• The female suicide rate in England is at its highest since 2005.
• The female suicide rate in the UK is at its highest since 2011.
Is Movember Making a Difference?
The answer is yes. Recent research carried out by Movember highlighted that the campaign is working successfully in terms of raising awareness whilst having a positive impact on making men think about their health. Movember participants were shown to spend more time thinking about health issues or reflecting on them than non-participants (the general population). To be specific, in the UK, the research revealed:
89% of participants spent time thinking about improving their general health
57% of participants have had a general check-up
70% discussed men’s health with their family, friends or colleagues during Movember
58% carried out personal research on men’s health issues during Movember
51% worried about their general health
77% understood that their health depends on how well they take care of themselves
The research encouragingly shows that participation in Movember does encourage men to proactively engage in the management of their health. However, findings also
highlighted that 50% of men had ignored an issue rather than go to a doctor. This is proof that there is still work to be done and Movember has a responsibility to keep raising awareness, thereby motivating and engaging men around the world to change the face of men’s health.
“MOVEMBER” Website:– http://uk.movember.com/
A significant number of CWU National, Regional and Branch Officers have participated in the ‘Movember’ fund raising efforts since the movement started and our congratulations goes out to them all – please give them your full support.
Thanks for your support.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 