Mo bros and sistas, it’s time to rally.

Each November, men from around the world don moustaches in solidarity, eschewing general facial cleanliness in support of prostate cancer awareness and other men’s health initiatives.

Founded in Australia in 2003, the global Movember campaign has grown exponentially ever since, with over 850,000 registrants in 2011.

Each one of us has been directly affected by cancer, man’s greatest unrelenting opponent — and each of us can make an individual imprint on the face of men’s health.

Last year, my floormates and I held a post-Movember extravaganza called the Muzzies. We suited up in formal attire, booked a common room and handed out awards to each participant, ranging from Most Valuable Moustache to more colourful offshoots.

Not only did the Muzzies foster competition among us to see who could grow the largest, thickest or most delightfully repugnant moustache, but it also provided an incentive to harass our families, friends and casual acquaintances for monetary pledges.

Just as we sought to one-up our teammates, we worked in conjunction to boost our fundraising efforts, totaling almost $900. Our “mo’s” served as a personal rallying point for male health initiatives — a cause that hinges on the grassroots efforts of its supporters.

The stakes are high. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian men. One in every seven of us will develop prostate cancer, and one in 28 will die of it.

Without sufficient funding and research, cancer’s toll will never be alleviated. Put simply, it’s a matter of life-or-death, and it’s our responsibility to protect one another to the best of our financial capabilities.

Donating to the Movember Foundation itself is sound in both theory and practice. The Canadian campaign generated $41.9 million in donations last year — 89.6 per cent of which was allocated to men’s health programs. By giving to Movember, millions of dollars are funneled directly into the pervasive fight against cancer.

This year, my friends and I will contribute to a fraction of that total. We’re joining hundreds of thousands of men and women once again in the quest to eradicate prostate cancer — one whisker (and dollar) at a time.

This Movember, shelve the razor for the month. In the name of men’s health, support the ‘stache.

Nick is the Assistant Sports Editor at the Journal.