While Movember is usually about making gains—in awareness and funds raised for men’s health and in facial hair for those raising those funds—two local firefighters are prepared to lose something precious for the cause.
The Movember movement began in 2003 in Australia, when friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery joked about bringing back the moustache, which they felt had all but disappeared from fashion trends, and convinced 30 guys — ‘Mo Bros’ — to take up the challenge. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was fundraising for breast cancer, they made the campaign about men’s health and prostate cancer.
It has grown into an international movement since then, with more than five million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas participating.
Today, funds raised support men’s health initiatives around the globe, targeting mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. They have an ambitious goal: to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25 per cent by 2030. Globally, 60 men die by suicide every hour.
It’s a cause close to the hearts of local firefighters Mike Vadlja and Marshall Clarke. While male Movember participants typically grow a moustache for the challenge, Vadlja and Clarke are both prepared to shave off their beloved moustaches if they reach their fundraising goals.
Unless you’ve known Huntsville’s fire prevention officer, Mike Vadlja, for a really long time, you’ve likely never seen him without his signature moustache. That will change if he reaches his $2,500 fundraising goal for Movember.
Vadlja hasn’t shaved his ‘stache in more than 25 years.
But he has watched colleagues struggle with their mental health, and one of his mentors in fire inspection died from lung cancer.
Across North America the suicide rate among first responders is almost 10 times that of the general population.
“It’s a good cause and they spend the money on where it’s needed,” notes Vadlja.
His fellow firefighter, Marshall Clarke, will also shave his moustache if he meets his $1,500 fundraising goal.
“I went through my own personal battle with mental health a few years ago and I’m not really ashamed of it. It’s a tough subject for a lot of people. A lot of men especially, they go through the battle alone and they do it in silence. When I went through it, the best thing that I had was family and friends alongside me, and just being able to reach out to somebody was the best thing for me,” he recalls. “The reason I’m doing this is I want more men not to feel weak when they are depressed, not think that it’s a weakness, to be able to reach out and talk about their emotions with other people.”
Clarke just joined the fire service in June but says he’s already impressed by the level of support provided by first responders’ programs. “They are trying to end the stigma as well around first responders where you don’t have to keep things bottled up. The support programs are incredible and it’s getting people aware that just because we’re firefighters doesn’t mean that we’re bulletproof. No one should feel that they have to be bulletproof, that they should always be able to reach out to people – everyone needs to talk to someone when they’re having issues.”
He wanted to participate in the challenge but he didn’t want to shave his moustache off at the start because he’s had it so long – he credits his chief with the idea to only shave if off if he raises enough funds. Barely into Movember, he’s wondering if he should have set his goal higher – he’s already raised more than a third of his target – but he’s happy to do it for the cause.
Clarke has had his moustache for three years, but says it’s “kind of a staple in the Clarke family.” Neither he nor his mom have seen his dad, Rocky, without a moustache. “This is a big deal for me to shave it.”
But he’s happy to do it for his new firefighting family. “It’s been so far the best experience I’ve had with a group of people in my life.”
The challenge is also getting some support from the department’s female members.
Mandi Hargrave, who was the top fundraiser on the department’s fundraising team last Movember, knows well the devastating effect mental illness can have.
“I’m participating in Movember once again because men tend to stay quiet when battling issues, whether it’s mental or physical, and it’s important for them to know they are supported,” she says. “I nearly lost my father due to mental illness. It was unexpected and extremely difficult. I’ll never forget the phone call and the despair I felt that day seeing him in the hospital and the doctor saying he likely won’t make it through the night. It’s common to hear that the signs are there when you look back, and it’s true. However, you don’t always know they’re signs until it’s too late. I also lost a couple of male friends at a young age due to mental health battles and again no one knew they were suffering. It’s time to end the silence.
“As a female on a male-dominated fire department, I think it’s important for women to participate in community events and fundraising awareness campaigns to show other young females that women are just as capable of performing in careers typically viewed as a male jobs,” Hargrave adds. “Last year I was the only female on the team and this year we have three females. Our presence is growing within the department overall and it’s great to see.”
While Hargrave is supportive of the efforts of all of her male colleagues, she says she really wants to see Vadlja reach his goal so that he’ll shave his 25-year ‘stache.
To make a donation to the Huntsville Lake of Bays Fire Department Movember team, or an individual firefighter, visit ca.movember.com.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
0 Comments