News & Events

There is so much more to Movember than fantastic facial hair.

Movember is an annual fundraising event in which, yes, men do indeed grow out their facial hair, but do so for a wonderful cause. Each November the month turns into a fundraiser to raise awareness for men’s health issues including prostate & testicular cancer, mental health and physical inactivity. The goal of the Movember Foundation is to “change the face of men’s health.” Since 2003, millions of men and women have joined the  movement, raising $650 million and funding over 1,000 programs.

The centerpiece of the Movember campaign is that men are simply dying too young. Here are some startling facts that came out of a recent Men’s Health article:

• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men aged 15-35 years. There are 8,820 new cases of testicular cancer diagnosed every year. According to the article, 380 men will die of testicular cancer, although the survival rate hovers at or around 99%.
• Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in the United States. In 2014, more than 200,00 men were diagnosed and 1 in 36 of those will succumb to the disease. The risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer increases with age.
• Did you know that 6.7% of the U.S. population is diagnosed with depression each year? 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health problem in a given year and more than four times as many men die by suicide than women. 1 in 5 adults suffer from sort sort of anxiety disorder.

At the recent Fort Collins city council meeting, Mayor Wade Troxell officially proclaimed the entire month of November to be Movember in the city. Here at the Raintree Athletic Club, owner and general manager Martin Johns has challenged the men of his team to grow a face full of hair and to attend the November 19th Movember BodyPUMP benefit class.

Several businesses are taking up the cause to raise money, including the Rio and Black Bottle Brewery, who have collaborated on a Pomegranate Kolsch Movember beer. All proceeds made from this effort will be donated to the Movember Foundation. Also on Nov. 19, the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity will host its Mac N’ Stache benefiting the Movember Foundation. The event begins at 5 p.m. and features all you can eat mac n’ cheese at St. John XXIII event Center, 1221 W. Elizabeth St.