Ospreys players raised more than £600 for The Prostate Cancer Charity during November when they participated in worldwide Movember campaign.
For the third year in succession, members of the squad put their efforts into cultivating the finest facial fuzz for a good cause, with a collection of wild and wacky mo’s on display throughout the month.
Movember is a charity event held worldwide during November each year to raise awareness of what is now the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK. At the start of November, participants known as Mo Bros, register with a clean-shaven face and then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their Mo, raising as much money and awareness about male health issues along the way.
Player/coach Filo Tiatia once again spearheaded the regional effort, in tribute to his father who beat the illness just a few years ago and he said the squad had enjoyed following in the footsteps of some the seventies hirsute rugby heroes:
“It’s been great fun, everyone has really got into the spirit of things. The boys really showed some creativity and there’s been some weird and wacky facial hair in the dressing room throughout November. It’s all good fun though, and the main thing is that it’s for a good cause, to raise awareness and funds for a very serious illness that affects a lot of men. As a squad, we are pleased to be able to help in whatever way we can.
“It’s been brilliant for helping to build team spirit, as you can imagine, some people have been taking this very seriously and it's got competitive, but has also helped tremendously in raising awareness of an issue that I’m very passionate about. Prostrate cancer has had a direct impact on my family, as well as many others in Wales, so I’m proud to be able to play a part in such a positive awareness raising campaign. I know that Movember has ended, but if anyone else still wants to donate, they can do so online and help to push our final tally further.”
The whole group gave their verdict on the end results, voting Video Analyst Damian Karauna as Man of Movember for growing the best Mo’, just ahead of Physio Brian O’Leary. Scotland wing Nikki Walker received the most votes for Worst Mo, prop Craig Mitchell coming second. Ian Gough took the honours for best fundraiser, while hooker Huw Bennett’s effort was voted Best International Mo, a category that was open only to players who have spent the month away with their country. There were special booby prizes for those who started to grow a Mo’ but got cold feet and shaved it off during the month, in the form of outsize ladies underwear, which then had to be worn for the rest of the day.
Every year approximately 35,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 10,000 men die from the disease. A British man has a one in 11 lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer and at least one man dies every hour from the disease in this country. Movember's global fight against prostate cancer is conducted in partnership with the leading prostate cancer charitable organisation in each Mo growing country, with the selected prostate cancer organisation becoming the benefactor of the funds raised by the Movember campaign.
In the U.K. Movember's beneficiary partner is The Prostate Cancer Charity. Funds raised by Movember will be used by The Prostate Cancer Charity to fund vital research into the causes, treatments and impact of living with prostate cancer, provide information through its website and essential fact sheets including their award winning Tool Kit, a comprehensive and tailor made information pack available to all men diagnosed with prostate cancer and to pay for the Charity's Helpline which is staffed by specialist nurses. The Helpline nurses provide men with prostate cancer and their families with specialist advice and support over the telephone and via e-mail. Anybody who still wishes to contribute to the Ospreys Movember effort can do so by clicking here