Why Movember Matters (And Why I Show Up Every Year)
How a Moustache, Movement, and Meaning Can Change Lives
There’s a silent crisis in men’s health, one that we don’t talk about nearly enough.
It’s a crisis I’ve seen firsthand, and it’s why every Movember, I show up and challenge others to do the same.
Back when I was fresh out of university, I worked at the Psychiatry Department of UBC, helping people battling severe depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. For two and a half years, I witnessed both the isolation of mental illness and the life-changing impact of effective treatment. We ran studies with patients using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to relieve depressive symptoms, and seeing those transformations was powerful. It drove home the reality that we don’t just need better treatments — we need a better conversation about mental health.
So every November, I grow a moustache to get people talking about men’s health. That moustache is more than facial hair; it’s a tool, a conversation starter, and sometimes, even an icebreaker in difficult discussions.
What Movember’s All About
For those who haven’t joined in yet, here’s the reality. Movember is the only global charity dedicated to men’s health.
