Spread the word by sporting your ‘stache.

November becomes “Movember” as UREC and Health and Wellness Services team up to raise awareness to WSU students about critical men’s health issues.

UREC hosted a kick-off event last night with a “burpees for balls” fundraiser, a beard growing competition, and free cholesterol screening. 

The Movember Foundation, a global organization targeted toward men that encourages them to take precautions in regards to health, and WSU UREC challenge men to grow their mustaches during the month of November. Senior communication major Lauren Gust passed out mustache tattoos, stickers, and phone screen cleaners last night to students entering UREC.

“It stemmed from ‘no shave November’ where men don’t shave for the whole month,” Gust said. “Mustaches attract the most attention, so the goal is for the mustache to spark a conversation that eventually leads to men’s health and Movember.”

Health and Wellness Services also performed free cholesterol screening and then educated participants on what their number meant for their health and how to improve it. Men were also showed how to self-screen for testicular and prostate cancer.

Brad Stewart, assistant director of programming at Health and Wellness Services, said this is the third year WSU has brought Movember to campus. Men do not utilize services like women do, but rather prolong visits to the doctor, which could lead to even greater health problems, Stewart said.

“Men have the mentality that they don’t need to be preventative, but unfortunately there are always exceptions,” Stewart said. “In fact, testicular cancer is diagnosed most in men ages 16 to 24.”

Health and Wellness Services will educate men throughout the month on alcohol, stress management, nutrition, and fitness through a series of workshops, he said.

Junior kinesiology major Tyler Herman entered the beard growing competition at the kickoff event in support of the Movember initiative.

“Men neglect their health and avoid the doctor because of culture and the way we were raised,” Herman said. “Guys tend to keep things to themselves until the issue gets really serious.”

UREC Program Director Joanne Greene has been involved in the movement for the past three years. Greene said Movember focuses on raising funds for prostate and testicular cancer.

“We hope by offering programming and awareness, we can highlight that men should always prioritize their health,” Greene said.