The Results Are In!

Voting has ended, and we have ourselves a winner! Congratulations to Bill S, whose Movember moustache has been deemed the fairest in all the land (or at least in the competition). Bill wins a prize pack that includes a T-shirt, movie downloads and books galore, and some sweet Movember swag.

We at St. Louis Public Library would like to thank everyone who participated (and voted!) for making our inaugural Movember celebration a success. All competitors will receive a prize pack that can be picked up at any time from The Studio at Central Library, 1301 Olive St.

While you're at Central, stop in the Science and Technology Room (right next door to The Studio) to pick up some information about men's health, including a guide of recommended screenings.

Movember Voting Starts Now!

The final photos are in, and voting is now open for the 2014 Movember Moustache Challenge! Check out the photos below, and then swing over to the Movember Voting page to weigh in on your favorite moustache. Voting is open through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, so tell your friends to rally behind your favorite!

Two More Moustaches!

Two more competitors have checked in with their moustaches! Check them out below!

Today's Movember fact:
One in five adults experience an anxiety disorder each year. Symptoms of anxiety include hot and cold flashes, racing heart, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, tightening of the chest, and snowballing worries. For more information about anxiety disorders and effective treatment, visit the American Psychological Association's page on anxiety treatments.

Mo Moustaches!

In recognition of being three-quarters of the way through Movember, here are two-thirds of our competitors, showing off their moustaches. Next week, we'll post their final mustachioed photos and ask you to vote for your favorite. Voting will be open for one week, after which our winner will receive a fantastic prize pack of books, movies, T-shirts, and more Movember swag than you can shake a stick at. (Don't worry, all of our participants will walk away with something!) Check out the Movember page for photos of the fabulous prizes!

Today's Movember fact:
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting one out of seven men. Some of the risk factors include: age (more than 65% of prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65); race (African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than Caucasian men, and 2.5 times more likely to die of the disease); tall height; a sedentary lifestyle; a family history of prostate cancer; and exposure to Agent Orange. For more information about risk factors and screening for prostate cancer, visit the Prostate Cancer Foundation's website.

Two More Movember Updates

For your viewing pleasure, here are our last two competitors' moustaches. Voting on this fantastic facial hair begins soon, with fabulous prizes to be announced. Stay tuned for more details!

Today's Movember Fact:
We've been talking about Movember all month, but what exactly is Movember? It's a worldwide organization dedicated to raising awareness about men's health issues and funding programs to help prevent prostate cancer and testicular cancer, and to treat men's mental health issues. Check out the Movember Foundation's website for more information on their mission and methods.

Two Weeks In, And The Moustaches Are Flourishing!

Check out the progress on our competitors' moustaches! Remember, aside from growing fantastic moustaches, Movember is a time to discuss men's health, so take the opportunity to talk to the men in your life about getting routine health exams and screenings.

Today's Movember Fact:
According to studies by Harvard Medical School, men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, including smoking, drinking excessively, not wearing a seatbelt, and skipping routine health checkups, than women are. Check out the men's health page at BetterMedicine.com for tips on living a healthier life.

Another Movember Update

The rest of our competitors have sent in their updated moustache photos. Check 'em out below, and don't forget to share some info about men's health!

Today's Movember Fact:
More than 6 million men in America have depression each year. Several factors may contribute to a diagnosis of depression, including stress, hormones and brain chemistry, and a family history of depression. The National Institute of Mental Health has some great information about men and depression, including some real stories of living with the mental health condition.

Moustache updates!

We're 10 days into Movember, and our competitors have varying degrees of moustaches appearing. (Scott would like it known that he had to shave for a military event, but is starting over this week and intends to catch up with everyone else.) We're still waiting for a few competitors to submit their updated photos, but in the meantime, take a gander at what has transpired over the last week.

Today's Movember Fact:
The easiest way to stay healthy is to know and track your numbers for BMI (body mass index) and weight, waistline, blood pressure, both HDL (healthy) and LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol, and blood glucose (AKA sugar). Keeping track of these and keeping them in a healthy range helps lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and many types of cancer.

Even More Competitors!

Another day, another Movember participant (or two)! While they may be a couple days behind, or at least a couple days late taking their starting line photos, they're certainly welcome to compete! And so are you! Just send your beginning photos to kkrekeler@slpl.org to get started.

Today's Movember Fact:
Men are four times more likely to die from suicide than women are; however, women are three times more likely to report suicide attempts. To learn more about suicide prevention including warning signs, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

More Movember Competitors!

A hearty welcome to three new participants in the Movember moustache competition! It's still not too late to sign up! Just send a photo of your clean-shaven mug to kkrekeler@slpl.org and check out the Movember page for all the rules!

And don't forget to stop by Central Library this Thursday as we kick off our Movember movie month with Smokey and the Bandit. Representatives of Siteman Cancer Center's Prostate Cancer Community Partnership, the Testicular Cancer Society, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness will be on hand starting at 5:30 outside the auditorium; the movie starts at 6:30. Come by to show off that growing mo' and learn about men's health!

Today's Movember fact:
While testicular cancer is rare, accounting for just 1 percent of all male cancers, it is also the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 35. For more information on testicular cancer, including how to do a self-exam, visit the Testicular Cancer Society.

Movember Has Begun!

Movember has officially begun! Check out these six fine gents who started Saturday morning off with a close shave in preparation for growing a moustache the rest of the month. If you didn't start on November 1, you're only a few days behind and can definitely participate! Just check out the Movember page for participation rules, and send a photo of your clean-shaven face to kkrekeler@slpl.org to join in.

Today's Movember fact:

One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and one in 36 men will die from prostate cancer, accounting for 22 percent of all male deaths from cancer. Learn more about prostate cancer and its prevention from the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Get Ready to Grow that Mo!

Movember is nearly upon us, so now is as good a time as any to start prepping that face for a month ofmoustache-growing! Check out our Movember page for participation rules.

So you may be wondering... what does growing a moustache have to do with health? This is a health blog, after all. Led by the international Movember Foundation, Movember is a month-long event to raise awareness for men's health issues, particularly prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health. It's a simple premise: grow a moustache for a month, and when people comment on your changing face, use it as an opportunity to open up a conversation about men's health. (Women can participate too, without the moustache. Just help raise awareness!)

So here are a few talking points (courtesy of the Movember Foundation) to bring up when people start pointing at your furry upper lip:

• The average life expectancy of men (76.2 years) is almost five years shorter than that of women (81 years).
• Half of men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
• Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in the United States; more than 233,000 men will be diagnosed with it in 2014.
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men between the ages of 15 and 35, and about 8,820 new cases are diagnosed each year.
• One in four adults will experience a mental health problem in a given year.
• More than four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States.

So remember to Shave the Date on November 1! Start off with a clean-shaven face and let that moustache grow throughout the month. And don't forget to send in your pics to kkrekeler@slpl.org. We'll post them on this blog, and if your peers are suitably impressed by your facial masterpiece by the end of the month, you may win a prize!

Psst! There's more to Movember than just the moustache photos. Visit Central Library in November to compare moustaches while enjoying some great moustache-themed movies. The series kicks off November 6 with Smokey and the Bandit at 6:30 p.m., preceded by a visit from three health organizations focusing on mental health, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

Prostate Cancer Walk This Weekend!

Check out this event featuring one of our community partners!

This Saturday, August 9, 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis will host its annual Community Health Day at Harris-Stowe State University. The event will feature the 12th annual Prostate Cancer Survivor and Awareness Run/Walk, as well as a Zumba session, family workshops, and prostate cancer screening from the Prostate Cancer Community Partnership through our partners at the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities.

Pre-registration for the event is $20, while registration the day of the event is $25 and starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday. For information, call 314-367-7778 or visit www.100blackmenstl2014.kintera.org.