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What’s up with that mustache flask, you ask? And, even if you weren’t asking, I’m going to tell you. Not only do I like whiskey, but I also like my prostate. And testicles. This is probably not what you were expecting to read on an official Columbia blog. But, please, follow me. I promise it won’t be gross and will, in fact, relate to the flask.

Okay, you’re still here? Good. So, as of this writing, it’s the first day of Movember. (You’ll see this six days later. That’s okay.) Movember is an event that now spans the globe. It takes the month of November and turns it into a month where men start out clean-shaven and then grow mustaches. Any kind. Small, large, curly, bushy… whatever. And why do they grow mustaches?

These men, called “Mo Bros” by the movement, all like their prostates and testicles to remain healthy. Cancer in these areas is a huge issue for men. It’s the breast cancer of the male population (though men, too, can be diagnosed with breast cancer—it’s just less common). Men that participate are given a Movember page, and from there, they use their web page to raise money for Movember. The donations go to the LIVESTRONG Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, as well as foundations set up to educate men on how to test themselves for this.

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I’m doing this with my rugby team. We are trying to raise $1,000 dollars as a team. It’s a really fun and goofy way to raise money. Everyone ends up looking silly—or studly, depending on your view of mustaches—and there is such little effort that goes into trying to raise money. It’s a really great cause, too. For years, men’s prostate and testicular health were not really spoken about, and then when Lance Armstrong publicly announced his diagnosis and started his foundation, more men were getting tested and catching these types of cancer earlier, leading to better outcomes.

So, please read up on Movember on their website. You can choose to donate or not, but I think it’s important to get educated. I’m including a link to my own donation page, but you can donate to any Movember page or to the movement in general.

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So, if you see me or anyone that looks like he’s growing a mustache this month, ask if he’s doing Movember. If he is, thank him for raising awareness. Also, make sure to tell him how awesome his mo’ is.

Add some comments to my margins! What do you think about Movember?