By Jim Fitzpatrick | NB Indy
John Cornuke is a motivator of boys and men. If your kids play baseball in Newport Beach, or you have a business that can contribute to youth sports, you already know that Cornuke makes it easy to say yes. So, when Cornuke presented his latest idea to a group of buddies, it is no surprise that we decided to grow a mustache, in November, from this point forward called Movember.
The national Men of Movember group raises funds and awareness for cancers that affect men’s health, and was inspired by women and all that they have done for breast cancer.
Beneficiaries of the funds are the Prostate Cancer Foundation with a goal of accelerating the discovery of better treatments and ultimately finding a cure for prostate cancer, and LIVESTRONG, of cancer survivor Lance Armstrong fame, dedicated to improving the survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer.
Much like a commitment to run or walk for charity, the Men of Movember commit to growing a mustache for 30 days. Think about it: when you see someone you know who has never had facial hair, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
“What is that?”
Right?
Well, that is the point. By committing to growing a mustache one also is committing to engage in conversations about men’s health in response to “What is that?,” truly changing the face of men’s health.
Cornuke went into a meeting with his boss, and he was “showing.”
“I knew I was either going to get promoted or fired that day” says an inspired Cornuke. “My boss got it right away, and was a big supporter.”
At least for this Movember, Cornuke is not applying the full-court pressure to “let it grow,” but he is quick to convert those non-mustachioed participants, at least for this year, into fellow Mo Bros and Mo Sistas that donate.
“You are a public official, trying to get work in a publically traded company. Why on earth would you grow a mustache?” asked a close friend of mine.
“Well, obviously, you have never had cancer,” I say. “I have, and this is exactly what it takes.”
It is time men face some startling health facts: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed; 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. An estimated 8.7 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes, and a third do not know it. Approximately 50 million men and women in the US have high blood pressure, and almost 30 percent of them do not know it. Visit Movember.com for more information.
At first Cornuke and his fellow Mo Bros, with some Mo Sistas, thought it would be great if $10,000 could be raised by a first-year team. A custom website was built, business cards were printed, social media was fired up. As this goes to print, TeamNuclear.com is ranked No. 8 in the nation with more than $17,000 raised. The No. 2 Team is made up of damn Yankees baseball players. TeamNuclear.com elevated their sights to a target of $31,000, a national first year team record, to which Cornuke replied, with a twinkle in his mustache, “We can win this!”
“I started this as a bit of a joke, not fully understanding the importance or impact we could have,” shares Mo Bro Casey Hoch. Now his favorite part of his participation is the response he gets after answering the question, “What’s up with the cheesy mustache?”
“I am met with genuine gratitude. Most encounters are in some way connected to men’s health issues, and people share their personal story,” says Hoch, with his cheesy mustache accentuating his contagious smile of enthusiasm.
Want to help these motivated Mo Bros? If you encounter any men with a mustache, simply say “Movember?” and enjoy the informative dialogue. And, please visit TeamNuclear.com to donate to the team. The local Mo Bros have a chance to do something special, with your help.
Let’s change the face of men’s health, today.
Jim Fitzpatrick can be reached at JimFitzEco@gmail.com
