About this Movember thing: from pub dare to global prostate cancer support movement

About this Movember thing: from pub dare to global prostate cancer support movement

  November 04, 2026    Stephen Cobb

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My pledge to write 30 blog posts about prostate cancer in November came about because there is a charity called Movember that started raising money for The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia in November, 2004. Several hundred men took part and raised tens of thousands of dollars, then the largest single donation that foundation had received.

In proper Aussie fashion Movember began as a dare in a pub. This one involved growing a moustache during the month of November, hence the name — Movember — and of course the logo, seen here:

Since its inception the Movember Foundation has raised more than A$1.8 billion and funded over 1,600 projects. Basically, a moustache-growing dare has become one of the largest sources of men’s health funding in the world. 

Stephen Cobb
Growing facial hair
for charity,
November, 2012

I first became aware of Movember when a colleague at ESET in San Diego, California, led a fundraising drive in November of 2012. Because I already had a moustache and beard, I agreed to shave them off and regrow them, as seen in this photo taken on  the 22nd of November (Thanksgiving). I think I raised $100.

The Movember Foundation was officially recognised as a charity by the Australian government in 2006. In 2007 the foundation launched campaigns in Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, with Prostate Cancer UK as the British beneficiary. 

Of course, moustache growing is not the point. Its role was to start conversations  about prostate cancer that many men avoid. The foundation’s remit has since widened to include testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Amazingly, a moustache-growing dare has become one of the largest sources of men’s health funding in the world.

Along the way, other challenges and dares have been employed to the same end. This year I decided to participate but without removing my facial hair. Instead, I pledged to publish 30 blog posts about prostate cancer that could be helpful to men like me who are living with it, or worried about it.

Movember is a reputable global charity. The donation process is simple and safe, so please consider clicking the banner below and chipping in, wherever you are. I'm trying to make the blog posts useful to both US and UK readers. So donating £5 would cost you about $7 if you pay by American credit card. If we can get to £300 before Thanksgiving (the 26th) I will kick in £50 myself.

Notes

Sources: Movember history, Wikipedia · A Hairy Tale, Movember · Movember’s ‘hairy’ history · Movember, Wikipedia mirror)