“If you don’t have insurance, don’t worry about it. Still utilize the clinic. We are open. This clinic is for them, we will see them, we will work with them,” said Daisy Williams, nurse manager at Georgia State’s Health Clinic
Through the month of November, one facial-haired trend is gaining popularity throughout the country and may also prove beneficial in support of men’s health.
Movember, a non-profit organization raising awareness about men’s health, asks men throughout the country to cultivate mustaches throughout November. This non-profit is different from No-Shave November, another organization that asks men to grow hair throughout the month of November to raise awareness for cancer.
Ceramics student Ty Nicholson said he hadn’t heard of Movember but did know about No-Shave November.
“I thought about shaving but then I remembered it was November,” Nicholson said. “That and [I had a] fear of looking like a child again.”
Movember vs. No-Shave November
The two organizations have different rules about what styles of facial hair should be grown in November. See below for a comparison of the two organizations.
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Senior Andy Debusk said he didn’t know details about either charitable organization but knew No-Shave November as being popular.
“I know a couple other people that are doing it so it’s fun to compare beard growth with other people,” he said. “In a way it’s kind of a bragging rights thing.”
Debusk also said he likes the idea of not shaving for a month because it is an excuse to grow out facial hair, and it’s a mark of being young and a student.
“In the future if I get a real job where I have to shave every day, I won’t be able to ever grow a beard again until I’m retired,” he said. “Might as well grow a cool beard now!”
Growing for a cause
This year, Georgia State Athletics is supporting the organization and movement.
Graduate Assistant Katey McCandless is in charge of the fundraising partnership between Movember and Georgia State Athletic’s marketing team. She said this is the second year the department has participated as a team.
“We like to build relationships where we can,” McCandless said, “And this just seems like a great organization.”
McCandless also said the marketing team is spreading the word about the movement and organization by asking the Athletics staff and coaches to grow mustaches.
Last year Athletics marketing found out about Movember and raised approximately $200 among themselves and the facilities staff. This year they hope to exceed that amount.
“It was right around Nov. 1, so it was already shave the date time,” she said. “This year we put together a social media plan, and I designed t-shirts. We got started at the beginning of October.”
During the Nov. 14 men’s basketball home-opener, fans received a ‘Ron Hunter Movember’ t-shirt for a $10 donation to the organization. Hunter, head coach of the men’s basketball team, had a full-grown mustache for the event.
Each donator could choose one of four different t-shirt designs depicting a variety of mustaches on the face of Coach Hunter.
McCandless said she is hoping the last basketball game will raise enough money so that in the future a Georgia State basketball game will become a registered Movember event on the charitable organization’s website.
Donations for the Movember organization will continue to be accepted throughout the month at other Georgia State Athletic events including volleyball and women’s basketball.
Awareness for men’s health
Daisy Williams, nurse manager at Georgia State’s Health Clinic, said people should be aware that on the topic of men’s health, the clinic is also prepared to treat all medical issues under that category.
Williams said acne and sexually transmitted infections (STI) screenings are some of the more frequent reasons male students visit the health clinic.
In addition to treatment, the clinic also provides education about men’s health. Male students can learn about substance abuse, safe sex and how to conduct a self examination for testicular cancer, according to Williams.
Williams said she feels as though students who are aware of the clinic are coming in when they have issues. She also said health services is currently updating their websites in order to provide all information possible about the services available to students.
“It’s good that the students are realizing they can come to the clinic,” she said.
Early detection is the best way to address a concern, according to Williams.
“Early detection is always the best if there is a concern, and if there isn’t then you have peace of mind. When you know that everything is OK you can go on with you life.”
Williams also said students should not worry about not being able to afford the services of the Student Health Clinic.
“If you don’t have insurance, don’t worry about it. Still utilize the clinic,” she said. “We are open. This clinic is for them, we will see them, we will work with them.”
If there are any services the Student Health Clinic may not provide, the staff can refer visitors to a specialist, according to Williams.
However, she also said that it is also important for men to become or remain proactive.
“You have to do it on a regular basis in order to know what’s normal for each and every one of us,” she said. “You need to know what your ‘normal’ is.”
