GOOD 100: Meet Adam Garone, The Mustache Behind The Movement

Behold, the mustache—that resolute manifestation of virility. Who knew what fixation a bit of well-placed facial hair could hold? Or, what greater good could come of it?

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Adam Garone, our mustachioed GOOD 100 champion, found his career path taking a drastic left turn in 2003, when his brother challenged him to put down the razor. As the hairs sprouted, so did an idea. Could they turn the growing facial hair trend into a vehicle for men’s health awareness? Thus, behold again, Movember, a fundraising organization in which mustache-growers (called MoBros) seek sponsorships for their facial hair. All money raised goes towards a global assortment of men’s health initiatives, including the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

Out of Garone’s crazy genius came an ever-growing Movember community of 1.1 million registered fundraisers who secured $141.5 million in the past year alone. Now, the big goal for 2013 will be Movember’s internal programs team combining forces with each of their men’s health partners to manage and measure the impact made possible by these funds.

Coming down the pipeline is also "A Survivorship Action Partnership" (ASAP) for the US, a program created to address the needs of men and their families fighting through prostate cancer treatment and life afterwards. ASAP will facilitate the creation of a collaborative network of organizations focused on improving the lives of men living with prostate cancer, their partners, families and care givers in the areas of care, access for rural and remote men, clinical practice, and self-management solutions.

“Facilitating global collaboration and funding both national and global programs is made possible by the registered fundraisers each year, the guys growing mustaches and the girls supporting them,” Garone says.

Participation also garners conversations about men's health, which, Garone says, reduces stigmas, educates, and changes behavior.

So, men, we mustache you (bear with us) to forfeit your razors! Arm yourselves instead with wax and combs! Women, we ask you to embrace the ‘stache, hide your disdain for 30 days time, or simply picture Tom Selleck (or Charlie Chaplin, Hulk Hogan, Ron Swanson, whatever you’re into) when you see your significant other.

No matter your mustache growing capabilities, or inabilities, Garone implores you to support men’s health. Register today at Movember.com.

Follow Garone, and his mustache, here.

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