Well, last week Tyler Wainwright (Building Camelot) and Cory Huff (A Good Husband) got the ball rolling by growing Mo’s… and we’re helping out by spreading the word!
What is MOVEMBER, you ask? Well, “The month of November is official Prostate Cancer Awareness month. To promote this awareness, a bunch of bloggers in Australia started an event called Movember. A “Mo” is Australian slang for moustache. Movember participants grow a moustache to raise awareness for men’s health issues…”
So, set up your account over on Movember.com, grow your Mo, and help spread the word raising awareness around Prostate Cancer. (By the way, check out Tyler and Cory’s posts linked above and support their efforts if you’re making a donation).
Some facts about Prostate Cancer:
What is it? Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably. When caught and treated early, prostate cancer has a cure rate of over 90%. More than 186,000 men in the US will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.
What is the prostate? The prostate is a small gland about the size of a walnut that sits under the bladder and in front of the rectum. The urethra, the narrow tube that runs the length of the penis and that carries both urine and semen out of the body, runs directly through the prostate; the rectum, or the lower end of the bowel, sits just behind the prostate and the bladder.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer? If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer, including:
– A need to urinate frequently, especially at night;
– Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;
– Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
– Painful or burning urination;
– Difficulty in having an erection;
– Painful ejaculation;
– Blood in urine or semen; or
– Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
Because these symptoms can also indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms will undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms.
What are the treatments for prostate cancer? There is no “one size fits all” treatment for prostate cancer, so each man must learn as much as he can about various treatment options and, in conjunction with his physicians, make his own decision about what is best for him.
For more information about available treatment options at each stage of disease, order a copy of the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s free guide “Report to the Nation on Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Men and Their Families” from http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/guide.
For more information about prostate cancer, please visit the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s website: http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.
Ben Murphy, founder of The Father Life, is an Adventure Athlete, Writer, and Wellness Advocate who used to be obese. You can ask him your questions at www.BenMurphyOnline.com. He lives in upstate New York with his wife and three daughters.