UIC men get mustaches growing for Movember

It’s that time of year: the air is crisp, leaves are changing, and men around the world are growing mustaches to raise awareness for men’s health issues.

That’s right: it’s almost Movember.

Last year, a small but dedicated team of UI Health “Mo Bros” led by Michael Abern, director of urologic oncology, grew mustaches in November.

This year, Abern hopes to take the Movember group campuswide.

“The idea is that the mustaches are a conversation starter to talk about men’s health issues,” Abern said. “The larger our team is, the more people we can reach.”

Abern is motivated for Movember because he wants to reduce the risk of prostate cancer for African American men, who are disproportionately affected by the disease.

African American men are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer earlier than the general population. They are often diagnosed at later stages of disease, when treatment is less effective.

Because Abern sees many of these men as his patients, he is growing his Movember mustache to bring attention to the need for early screening.

More information is available online.