Movember campaign has ‘long way to go’

Organizers for the Movember fundraising campaign in Canada are gunning for another banner year, but to do that they’ll need to more than double their current tally.

Donations passed the $17-million mark on Friday, the largest amount raised of all the countries taking part.

By the end of last year’s campaign, Movember Canada had raised $42 million for programs to support men with prostate and testicular cancer and mental illness.

Country director Pete Bombaci says he can’t predict this year’s total because the two biggest fundraising days — Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 — are yet to come and corporate matching programs won’t kick in until next year. Those programs added about $10 million to the 2012 drive.

“We’re well on our way to another big year this year,” he told CityNews.ca.

“We have a long way to go. We’ll just have to wait and see where it all pans out.”

Movember — which started in Australia 10 years ago — encourages men to grow a moustache for the month of November and ask friends and family to donate to their efforts.

“Canada picked up on it pretty quickly,” Bombaci said.

“Canadians are an amazing, giving society and community and country and … we relate very much to the Aussie sense of humour and having a laugh with things and poking fun at each other.”

For more information or to donate, click here.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today