Founded in 2003 by two pals in an Australian pub, Movember was created with one goal in mind: to stop men dying too young. They did this by funding three of the biggest health issues affecting men globally: mental health and suicide prevention; prostate cancer; and testicular cancer.
Twenty years on, the men's health charity has become a powerhouse of a social movement, encouraging men across the globe to mind themselves and others. As well as raising funds, men taking part grow out their moustaches to become visual participants in the campaign.
To launch this year's event, Movember partnered with Irish taxi service FREENOW to raise funds, awareness, and drive conversation about men's health.
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Speaking as an ambassador of the campaign, TV presenter Greg O'Shea told RTÉ Lifestyle that he hopes to inspire men to check in with themselves.
"I'm delighted to get involved because I feel like I'm [in] a unique position where I can touch a lot of different groups of men," says O'Shea. "I came from a sporting background, then I was in the entertainment world, now I'm in the TV world. Hopefully, I can be an example to get people talking."
In Ireland, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and approximately 170 men in Ireland are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year. Most testicular cancer occurs in men under 45 years of age.
"Funnily enough, only recently I had to go get checked for my own prostate health," he says, speaking on the stats. "I'm a 28-year-old man and would consider myself very fit, so if I'm struggling, I can't be the only one. It's really just about getting awareness out there and raiding funds."
Going for recent a full-body health check, the former-rugby player said the results for his prostate and iron were worrying - something that he never would have expected as someone who takes part in Ironman competitions.
"I've fixed it all now and levelled it all out, so I'm actually grand, but it was a scare at the time," he admits. "It gets you thinking that if it's happening to me at 28, it has to be happening to others."
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As well as physical health, O'Shea has been publicly open about his mental health struggles.
In 2022, as a guest on Doireann Garrihy's podcast, Laughs of Your Life, O'Shea opened up about the bad bout of depression he suffered following his stint on Love Island.
Despite winning the show, the Olympian says that online hate paired with the end of his athletic career and a romantic break-up, led him to "pretty heavy medication" to battle the dark days.
"I went through that tough part which has given me a lot of empathy for young men," he says. "After that, I started getting messages from fathers - dads of my friends - and young guys, and people I was working with about their issues. I would have never thought they were struggling, so it made me realise that this thing doesn't discriminate at all."
According to CSO data suicide is the leading cause of death in men aged between 15 and 29 in Ireland, and over the past two decades, middle-aged men (aged 45–54) have experienced the highest average suicide rate of any age group.
"Everyone suffers with this at some stage and we have to be there for each other," Greg insists. "Me and my friends have made a group, and we meet up at least once a week. We go for a run in the morning, followed by a sea swim, followed by a sauna and a coffee. We just chit-chat and it's kind of a way of being there for each other and connected as a group of men."
As well as braving Irish waters, the lads are their growing moustaches and walking or running 60k for the month of November to raise money for the charity.
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To keep his mind clear and calm in the long run, O'Shea says he has five essential pillars that he cares for in his day to day life: sleep, nutrition, hydration, exercise and stress management.
"If any of those are off, I will start slipping," he explains. "It's not like going back into a spiral but I'll feel a bit agitated or I won't be motivated. My stress management might just be getting into a sauna for 20 minutes during the week - that's it. Getting away from the world and away from my phone.
"It's also about surrounding yourself with the right people. I've gotten even close with my family since I've gotten older and after the Love Island stuff. I have a lovely girlfriend who stays with me a lot, she helps me switch off. It's about forming your little crew."
From November 2023 to February 2024, FREENOW passengers will be able to show their support for Movember through FREENOW's Round Up to Donate in-app feature, which allows passengers to round up their trip to the nearest euro with the difference being donated directly to Movember.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact The Samaritans (phone 116123), or Pieta House (1800247247).
