Movember Wristbands - Men's Health Awareness

Written by Michele Wheat

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Started by two friends in Australia in 2003, The Movember Foundation® was created to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues. The primary goals of the organization are to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as decrease the number of preventable deaths in males. The Foundation also established the event colloquially known as ‘Movember;’ this is marked by the growing of mustaches annually during the month of November. To partake, most participants follow these general rules:

  • All facial hair shaved off on November 1st. 
  • After the hair starts growing, the beard is trimmed back so only the mustache remains.
  • The facial area surrounding the mustache is continuously shaved throughout November to keep the mustache as the focal point.

The purpose of the prominent mustache is to intentionally spark intrigue and create conversation that drives public consciousness and donations for concerning medical causes impacting men around the world.

General Information & Statistics About Men's Health

Males die 6 years earlier than females on average and unfortunately, for mostly preventable reasons. As such, Movember emphasizes and promotes the importance of men’s health in totality, however they prioritize research and funding efforts for the three biggest health issues facing men today: testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and mental health/suicide prevention.

  • Testicular Cancer: Globally, testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among young men ages 15-39. Thankfully, there’s a > 95% survival rate, however some men experience lifelong complications caused by radiation and chemotherapy that compromise their quality of life. Therefore, Movember strives to not only halve the number of men dying from the disease, but also halve the number of men suffering serious, long-term side effects from treatment.
  • Prostate Cancer: Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. 1 in 9 males will be diagnosed at some point in their lifetime, and it’s estimated more than 3 million men are currently living with the disease. A man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than colon, kidney, melanoma, and stomach cancers combined, and if left unchecked, prostate cancer rates will likely double over the next 15 years. So just like testicular cancer, the Movember initiative works towards decreasing prostate cancer deaths and long-term complications by 50%.
  • Mental Health / Suicide Prevention: In the United States, 3 out of 4 suicides are men; this equates to roughly one man dying by suicide every minute- an astoundingly troubling statistic. Unfortunately stigma endures regarding matters of mental health and suicide, which is why Movember focuses on mental health through a male perspective, concentrating on prevention, early intervention, and health promotion. By 2030, they hope to reduce the male suicide rate by 25%.

Cause & Awareness Facts About Men's Health

Through the ever-evolving world of technology, internet, and social media, society has never had this level of reach and impact before. The ability to provoke positive change and influence the masses is now possible with the single click of a button, so it’s only logical that our methods for raising awareness have expanded exponentially over the years. Look at any calendar and you’ll see certain days, weeks, and months dedicated to numerous causes and organizations… and Movember is no different. While prostate cancer awareness month is recognized in September, testicular cancer in April, and mental health in May, Movember is celebrated in November, coinciding with National Men’s Health Awareness Month.

Whether medical/health, social, or political-based, non-profits around the world use colored silicone wristbands to garner funds and generate support for their missions. Like its predecessor the ‘awareness ribbon,’ the color/pattern of the silicone bracelet implies that the wearer is a proponent of the same endeavor. It also serves to unite those with similar passions and interests. For Movember, a light blue silicone wristband is used to designate advocacy for the cause (as well as represents prostate cancer and men's health awareness). Mustache icons are also frequently utilized in the band design itself to further reinforce the affiliation with the Movember movement, especially since other organizations also employ a light blue band. For a list of assorted cause & awareness colors, click here.

Movember Silicone Wristbands

Your lightweight, durable silicone bracelets for Movember can be customized within mere minutes direct from our website. To begin, select your preferred inscription method (printed, debossed, ink injected, color coat, embossed, embossed printed); bandwidth; band colors/patterns (solid, segmented, swirl, glow-in-the-dark); adult/youth sizes; and any add-ons like keychain conversion and individual bagging. To make your Movember theme stand out even more, customize the bands with the font, ink color (if applicable), format, and messaging of your choice. Upload your own logos/graphics if you wish, or choose from the hundreds of clipart options we offer. From there, pick your preferred delivery date- and you’re done!

If you have a design request that cannot be achieved via our online customization tool (ex: multiple ink or specific Pantone [PMS] colors, distinct bandwidth measurements, precise structuring/placement of text/artwork, etc.), no worries! Our Wristband Resources Customer Service Team is here Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm CST, and ready to assist. Call 1.888.256.0816 or email info@wristband.com, and we will take care of the rest!