29/10/2024
Listeners to Virgin Radio's group of stations, which include Anthems and Virgin Chilled as well as other online and DAB channels, will have heard the first promotions for Movember 2024. Backed by Gilette and well known brands such as Pringles Crisps, the Movember movement aims to change the face of men's health. They note that mental health problems, suicide, self harm and neglecting physical health are all issues that are causing men to die younger than women. The organisation says "Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average 4.5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons. A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69% of all suicides. Movember is uniquely placed to address this crisis on a global scale. We fund groundbreaking projects all over the world, engaging men where they are to understand what works best and accelerate change." Movember will aim to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds this November, by encouraging people who can grow facial hair to sport a moustache or take part in other fundraising activities. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please do not suffer in silence. There is much support out there. Prostate Cancer UK Charity is on 0800 074 8383. Testicular Cancer UK is at https://www.testicularcanceruk.com/. The Samaritans are available to discuss and support you through anything that is troubling you, 24 hours a day on 116 123. The National LGBTQIA+ Switchboard is on 0800 0119 100. And one of our family of radio stations, Trans Radio UK, operates a help and listening line on 0800 009 6640. And a list of Student Nightlines, which are operated at each university, are at https://nightline.ac.uk/listening-services/.
