Nov. 19, 2012
Notre Dame, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame ice hockey team is joining in the efforts to raise awareness and money for research for men’s health issues that include prostate cancer and testicular cancer and they are doing it by growing moustaches during the month of Movember.
The global charity encourages men to grow their “Mo” (slang for moustache) from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30 while getting family, friends and colleagues to donate to their Mo-growing efforts. At Notre Dame this event is being spearheaded by Irish junior defenseman Stephen Johns (Wampum, Pa.) who has the support of his entire team in this fundraising effort.
“We are trying to show support for those who suffer from these terrible diseases and want to help raise awareness across the country,” says Johns.
“My teammates are all gung-ho for it. We usually aren’t allowed to have facial hair during the year but when they heard we could this month, everyone got excited about it. Some of them are struggling a bit. We pick on them about it, but its a great charity and great way to raise awareness for everyone. There are players on our team that have had family members affected by prostate cancer or testicular cancer, so for them, this event takes on a different meaning.”
Sophomore defenseman Eric Johnson sports his Movember mustache.
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Notre Dame hockey fans can help out in a variety of ways. First they can visit the Stephen Johns and the Notre Dame hockey page at http://us.movember.com/mospace/5672569. That will bring you to the team page where you can donate in an individual players’ name or to the Notre Dame hockey team.
The Irish will also be raising funds and awareness at their home games – November 23-24 versus North Dakota and Nov. 30 vs. Lake Superior State. Fans will have the chance to buy fake moustaches to wear at all three games at the end of November. There will be silent auctions at each game with the chance to bid on a team-autographed stick, an autographed team jersey, passes to O’Brien’s for a pre-game dinner, lunch with Stephen Johns and two teammates at Legends and tickets and tours of the Irish team spaces for future games at the Compton Family Ice Arena along with other in-game promotions.
There will also be an online auction on the Notre Dame website (UND.com) where fans can bid on the 2011-12 Team Photo from the Compton Family Ice Arena, an autographed stick and Irish hockey jersey.
The Irish aren’t the only hockey team involved in Movember as the CCHA on-ice officials, along with various member teams and their student-athletes, will grow moustaches this month as part of the initiative.
Last year over 855,000 people participated in Movember worldwide, and raised $126.3 million. In 2011, more than 145,000 Americans grew and supported the Mo, and raised over $15 million for the cause. In the U.S., funds raised are directed to programs run by Movember and its men’s health partners, Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and the LIVESTRONG Foundation, to support a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research.