With week one of Movember now behind us, we careen into week two a little bit hairier. Not me of course, the hubby. Though I did debate not shaving my legs. It is Movember after all.

When I first decided to blog about Brandon’s journey, I figured it would be a good idea to do a little  research. I found the following facts on Movember‘s website.

Prostate Cancer Canada

I was quite surprised to learn that on average, 11 Canadian men will die of prostate cancer every day. I also learned that in 2011, there have been more cases of prostate cancer diagnosed than breast cancer.

But it’s not just about prostate cancer. Movember is about promoting men’s health in general.

• The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women. With men’s average age being 78 to women’s 83.
• After cancer, the leading cause of death in men is heart disease.
• Among Canadians of all ages, 4 out of every 5 suicides are male.
• 5% more men will develop cancer during their lifetimes in Canada than women.

Those few facts alone are astounding and reinforced for me, how important Movember really is. As someone who has a family member that is battling prostate cancer, I can’t emphasize enough how important early detection is. My grandpa has been living and managing his prostate cancer since the ’90s. Thankfully his cancer was detected early enough that the doctors were able to offer medical treatments to improve the quality of his life.

Men’s health can be somewhat of a tricky topic. Men are often tight-lipped when it comes to anything that concerns their health. Unfortunately this silence ensures that these important health concerns continue to fade into the background.

While the fight to put an end to breast cancer has gained immense coverage over the years, prostate cancer is slowly moving into the light. Movember Canada partnered with Prostate Cancer Canada encourage men to take a stand and speak out against this terrible disease.

As promised I’ve included a short Q & A with Brandon to get his thoughts on his Movember experience so far.

Brandon’s dirty Mo after week one. Lord help us.

Q:  How can people support you and The Velvet Undernose?
A: If people want to support us they can follow the link and donate to either myself or the team. 

What his Mo should look like.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 5, how itchy is your Mo?

Next week I’ll chat with another member of The Velvet Undernose and get an update on Brandon’s Undercover Brother Mo. Stay tuned!