Post News Network
BHUBANESWAR: When a person afflicted with cancer is in the family, all his/her friends and relatives get affected emotionally. Cancer and the treatment of the individual become on overwhelming pressure on all of them. Cancer is preventable by controlling the modifiable risk factors such as use of tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity among others.
A significant part of cancer is curable through surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if it is diagnosed early. A worldwide campaign, No Shave November, launched by a webbased organisation in an effort to generate awareness about cancer and its treatment was getting huge support from several sectors. Several groups who upvoted the initiative are spreading the campaign in Bhubaneswar by taking a selfie of the unshaven beard and posting it on the social media as a mark of support.
Explaining the concept, Subrat Das, a motorcyclist in the city and a member of a bike group, said “No-Shave November” is a monthlong journey during which participants spare their beard and refrain from grooming beard and moustache in a bid to save expenses to arouse cancer awareness. The campaign goal is to generate awareness by conserving beard and whiskers since several cancer patients lose them during treatment. “Let the hair grow wild and free. Donate the money, you otherwise typically spend on shaving and grooming, to educate towards cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the ailment,” he adds.
The rules are simple: Put down your razor for 30 days and donate your monthly hairmaintenance expenses to the cause or share your beard. ‘‘The aim is to bring awareness about men’s health issues and to encourage them to grow mustache and beard for the whole month of November.
The aim is to transform each man into a walking billboard for men’s health, with
their facial hair being the conversation starter,’’ said Himanshu Nayak, another biker who sup
ported the initiative. The campaigners created a special design for the mission which has a biker with a huge beard. Motorcyclists on a long journey normally grow beard and this is an opportunity to do that symbolically with an objective, pointed out Himanshu.
People who subscribe to the ‘‘No Shave November’’ concept abide by a set of rules. Grow beard for the whole of November and this matches a unique mustache. “No Shave November’’ participants can donate the money they save on shaving to help some kind of a cancer-related cause or share the photographs and spread the campaign more vigorously.
Cancer is a leading cause of deaths worldwide and about 8.2 million people die from the disease annually, worldwide. About two-thirds of the cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries, and more than 50 per cent of such deaths could have been prevented. This is a serious cause for reflection and action. As per a World Health Organisation projection, deaths from cancer worldwide may continue to rise to 13.1 million by 2030. ‘
