It's Movember moustache time again, CHL clubs and players are show their support!
Mid November – or mid Movember, if you will. It’s the time when moustaches grow – for men’s health awareness. The CHL supports the Movember Foundation’s aim and encourages fans to support the movement. After signing up, get friends, family, or colleagues to donate to your efforts and change the face of men’s health.
When the Champions Hockey League was back on the ice for the Round of 16, moustaches were already starting to grow. They weren’t really big yet, as the games took place only at the beginning of November, but by the return games on the 8th, we started to see some pretty hairy upper lips inside arenas all over Europe. But what are these moustaches all about? They're part of the Movember campaign, which brings attention to for men’s health topics and raises money for over 1200 related programmes (see key points below).
Over the years, the Movember campaign has established incredible success from the global ice hockey community. Some CHL teams are involved in the movement, especially Sweden's Frolunda Gothenburg from among the remaining sides. The CHL champion currently also leads the fundraising ranking in the Swedish SHL, where all 14 teams show their commitment to the campaign.
“It’s amazing how Movember has grown over time. When it began ten years ago it was me and a couple of guys it feels like and now it’s a movement. It’s important to focus on men’s health – men tend to be a bit macho when it comes to health issuses”, says Frölundas Movember captain Jonathan Sigalet.
The entire Finnish Liiga has also got involved over the years, along with a number of German, Austrian, Czech and Swiss teams. For example Red Bull Salzburg, who were the only EBEL-team to make it to the Round of 32 in this year’s CHL competition, has a cooperation with a local barber shop this year to raise money.
Key Facts about the Movember Foundation:
- Movember Foundation is a global men’s health charity.
- When it comes to their health, too many men don’t talk, don’t take action and die too young.
- Movember Foundation wants to help men live happier, healthier, longer.
- Since 2003, 5,2 million people have joined the men’s health movement, raising €542 million and funding over 1,200 programmes focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention.
General facts about the Movember campaign:
- Men and women sign up at Movember.com and choose to Grow, Give or Move.
- Every November we challenge men to grow and groom a moustache for the 30 days of the month. Men start on the 1st of November clean-shaven and grow only a moustache for the month – no beards, no goatees.
- The moustache is our hairy ribbon, the symbol of commitment to the cause of men’s health.
- It sparks fresh conversations about men’s health and raises awareness and funds for the cause.