Mo’s Make a Difference of $10.5 Million

MEDIA RELEASE

10th October 2014

Mo’s Make a Difference of $10.5 Million

Kiwi men’s Mo efforts have now raised more than $10.5 million, directly benefitting 37 men’s health programmes in New Zealand. The Movember Foundation, the global organisation committed to men’s health, has raised this substantial amount in just eight years and has set themselves the lofty goal of pushing this figure to $12 million in 2014.

“Our efforts have touched the lives of thousands of men around the country, building awareness, changing perceptions, finding answers, and developing support networks that are changing the face of men’s health here is New Zealand. Each year the funds raised enable us to keep developing programmes and strategies that benefit more and more Kiwi men and continue to drive results,” says Robert Dunne, New Zealand Country Manager, The Movember Foundation.

The Movember Foundation funds programmes in research and survivorship for men who are affected by prostate and testicular cancer and mental health. Programmes that currently receive funding include;

- Farmers Wellness Project focussed on increasing importance of mental health in rural areas

- Hauora Tane Project to develop Maori mental health and wellbeing

- True NTH prostate cancer survivorship programme

- Global Action Plan (GAP) - aimed at developing tailored treatment plans for those who suffer from prostate cancer

Funded by Movember, the “Get the Tools” (www.getthetools.org.nz) programme is run by the Movember Foundation’s men’s health partner, the Cancer Society of New Zealand. The online men’s health tool provides prostate cancer survivorship information, was four years in the making and is now the single most important and effective men’s health programme within Cancer Society New Zealand.

“Without the support of Movember the Cancer Society would not have been able to establish and grow the Get the Tools programme,” says Steve Kenny, National Men’s Health Coordinator, Cancer Society.

“Movember has enabled the Cancer Society to not only provide leadership for men's health in New Zealand but reduce the incidence, impact and stress of cancer for men and their families. I can honestly say that with the support from Movember we are definitely heading in the right direction in making a difference in the lives of kiwi men.”

“While the funds raised to date is fantastic and we have been humbled by the support we receive, there is still a lot to do. Movember is determined to deliver programmes that improve the quality of life of men in this country and see a day where no man will die of prostate cancer,” says Dunne.

Men’s health statistics speak for themselves. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Kiwi men, with approximately 3,000 cases registered each year and testicular cancer is the most prolific among our younger men, aged 15 to 35 years. Alarmingly, 1 in 8 New Zealand men will suffer from depression over their lifetime.

“Movember started with guys getting together to solve a problem, and today we continue with that mindset. At a national and global level we are bringing together the best minds to collaboratively tackle and solve the critical health and wellbeing challenges that men face,” says Dunne.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Further information on the objectives, progress and outcomes of Movember Foundation funded programmes can be found at http://nz.movember.com/report-cards.

Examples of current prostate cancer and testicular cancer programmes:

• True NTH, a global programme that aims to improve the lives of prostate cancer survivors

• The Global Prostate Cancer Biomarker Initiative, one of five projects in the Global Action Plan (GAP), aims to identify tests that distinguish between low risk and aggressive forms of prostate cancer

• The RADAR research programme is a Trans-Tasman collaborative effort that looks at the optimal duration of hormone therapy for prostate cancer patients

• Get The Tools (www.getthetools.co.nz) is an online health tool for blokes, providing the best possible prostate cancer information, resources, tools, and support

Examples of current mental health programmes:

• The Farmers Wellness Project aims to increase the importance of mental health in rural areas and overall rural wellbeing

• The Hauora Tane Project aims to increase awareness of mental health and wellbeing that support Maori men in the context of their whanau

• The Canterbury EQ Recovery Project aims to increase mental well-being literacy and decrease stigma associated with men seeking to have their emotional and psychological needs met - by making it ok for men to discuss ‘how they are feeling’ in post-earthquake Canterbury

About The Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation is the leading global organization committed to changing the face of men’s health.

The Movember community has raised over $580 million to date, funding over 800 programs in 21 countries. This work is saving and improving the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems.

The Movember Foundation challenges men to grow moustaches during Movember (formerly known as November), to spark conversation and raise vital funds for its men’s health programs. To date, 4 million moustaches have been grown worldwide, but we won't stop growing as long as serious men’s health issues exist.

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