Movember begins at Long Home Products, where the cause is close to the heart
Published on Tuesday November 8, 2016The idea was hatched by two friends in Australia in 2003. Thirteen years later, Movember is an international phenomenon.
Each November, Movember participants grow out their mustache for a month and raise awareness around men’s health issues. Also known as “No Shave November,” Movember campaigns reach 21 countries while raising over $710 million thanks to over 5 million participants worldwide.
What is Movember?
The Movember movement is intended to get men talking about their health. The focus is on conditions that affect men in high numbers: prostate and testicular cancer, mental health disorders and suicide. The goal? Reducing the number of men who die prematurely from these and other treatable conditions.
Long Home Products joins Anne Arundel Medical Center’s third annual Movember celebration
This year, Long Fence and Home partners with Anne Arundel Medical Center in nearby Annapolis to celebrate Movember and fuel the conversation around men’s health issues. This marks the third year that the medical center has participated in the Movember movement.
- Male staffers at Long Home Products have the opportunity to participate in a “stachie” photo contest. The pics help keep Movember and men’s health issues out in the open. Participants can post a stachie – a mustache selfie – on the AAMC Facebook page using the hashtag #AAMCStachie. A new winner will receive a $50 gift card to Dollar Shave Club every Friday in November. Post your stachie now.
- During Movember, the Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Movember page posts related quizzes, blogs, podcasts and videos. The content helps educate men and their families about men’s health. Topics include hair loss, high blood pressure, cholesterol, weight control and depression. These issues that affect millions of American men.
The Movember men of Long Home Products
Some of our Movember 2016 participants:
“It’s important to get checked for early detection. Did you know prostate cancer does not show symptoms in its early stages?” – Jeff Caron, director of sales.
“It’s something you don’t really think about, but prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer in American men.” – Mike Bell, production manager.
“It’s nice to be part of Movember.” – Matt Mack, windows manager.
“I’m proud that Long Home Products is taking part in the importance of men’s health awareness.” – John DePaola Jr., director of operations.
See the full gallery on Facebook.
Movember is part of a larger mission at Long Home Products
Movember has a special meaning for Long Home Products CEO and President John DePaola and his wife, Long Home Products Executive Officer Jill Long DePaola. The DePaolas’ son, Bo, struggled with bipolar disorder before passing away in 2015. He was 20 years old.
“Mental illness comes with so many stigmas that people rarely talk about their experiences around it,” Jill says. “It’s rarely spoken about at all, and almost never in a positive light. Mental illness is categorized by judgement, shame, misunderstanding, confusion and a lot of gray areas. With mental illness, it’s rarely black or white, which makes illnesses like bipolar so difficult to diagnose.”
The DePaolas established the Bo DePaola Family Foundation to fight the culture of silence that prevents many men from seeking the help they need to treat mental illness.
“While we mourn Bo’s passing, we celebrate his life,” John says. “We pledge to fight mental illness one step at a time by doing whatever we can to assist those whose profession is working in and around these diseases. We feel his push driving us forward to help others with awareness, education and answers.”
The foundation hosted the inaugural Bo’s Effort Golf Tournament in May 2016. Proceeds from the event supported Pathways, an outpatient mental health clinic and emergency room at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
The Bo DePaola Family Foundation also works to support the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
For more information on the Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Movember activities, visit the AAMC website. To learn more about the Bo DePaola Family Foundation, visit Bo’s Effort online.
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