Mustaches in spotlight to raise men's cancer awareness for Movember

PHILADELPHIA -- November is "Movember."

So don't be surprised to see a lot of men with mustaches this month.

Movember is a campaign to raise awareness and funds for men's health.

Men are being urged to shave clean at the beginning of the month, then grow a mustache for 30 days - hopefully collecting pledges for their effort.

Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has raised $650 million around the world to fund more than 1,000 programs to fight prostate and testicular cancer.

This year, it's branching out to include mental health.

"It's really about reducing stigmas, first and foremost, and if you use a hilarious mustache to sort of have a difficult conversation with a guy, I think it's a great way to open up," says Andy Leonetti, of the Movember Foundation.

Leonetti became a Movember organizer after seeing the huge turnout in Australia, where the campaign started.

"It was remarkable. Everyone has a mustache, everyone knows it's Movember. Everyone gets it, and everyone's involved in the cause," he recalls of his visit to Australia.

This is the 7th Movember for Chris Geschke of Narberth, Montgomery County.

He joined after his battle with testicular cancer.

"I immediately looked for different organizations that were concentrating on men's health, and Movember stood out because of their emphasis on early detection (of cancer)" says Geschke.

"Early detection for me was very important. It's why my diagnosis was a stage one, as opposed to further along," he adds.

"Testicular cancer in young men is one of the fastest growing cancers, as far as how quick the cells grow."

Geschke says men don't need a perfect mustache to take part in Movember - it's the effort that counts.

"You walk around the city, and you see guys with mustaches and you give them the nod," he said. "And it's really great to think all those mustaches that lead to conversations about men's health."

There are events in the area all this month. And the Rittenhouse Spa & Club is donating 10 percent from its "Indulgent Shave" to the I Hate Cancer charity.

Both men and women can take part every day in the MOVE in Movember challenge.

It's a 30-day challenge aimed at getting everyone more active.