EVERY NOVEMBER thousands of people across the country ban their razors and fashion themselves fetching facial hair in the name of charity.
And now, their fundraising efforts are being put to good use with researchers at Coventry University set to benefit from a grant of £500,000 raised in the campaign.
he grant, part of a £2 million wave of Movember Foundation Project Grants and Pilot Awards made by Prostate Cancer UK, will enable researchers to explore whether treating prostate cancer with hormone therapy causes a reduction in thinking skills and memory.
Elizabeth Grunfeld, Professor of Health Psychology at the University who will be leading the three year project, said that while hormone treatment is the standard first treatment for most men who are diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, some men report a decline in their cognitive ability as a result of the treatment
She added: “”With this substantial grant we will identify which factors make men more or less likely to be at risk of cognitive decline as a result of hormone therapy.
“This would help men and their doctors make more informed treatment choices as well as leading us closer to finding a method of treating this side effect.”
Prostate cancer claims 10,000 lives every year, with the Movember campaign seeing ‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Mo Sista’s’ from across the country raise sponsorship money by give up shaving for the month of November.
Sarah Coghlan, UK Country Director for the Movember Foundation, said: “It’s through the efforts of almost 4,000 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas in Coventry and thousands more across the country that we have been able to fund such vital research to address the key challenges in prostate cancer.
“With continued support we can do more so that fewer men die from prostate cancer, and those that live can enjoy happier, healthier, longer lives.”
More information about Prostate Cancer UK’s summer activities – including everything poker nights, sponsored sports and rock festivals – can be found online at www.prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved
