Rock your new look, raise awareness for a worthy cause

If you’re thinking about changing your look for fall, maybe you should consider altering your appearance in support of some worthy causes. We have a few in mind, but if our picks don’t quite tickle your fancy, search the inter-Webs and find one that aligns with your personality. Regardless of what you pick, you potentially could not just refresh your style, but also help raise awareness for important issues.

 

Hawk it up!
Go drastic and sport a Mohawk in support of “Hawktober,” a campaign that is raising awareness of brain tumors, those diagnosed with them and survivors. It’s sure to draw attention to you, and to the cause — and, well, that’s the really the whole point, isn’t it?

“Hawktober was an idea that originally started with a brain tumor survivor out in California,” Matt Cotcher, brain tumor survivor and co-founder of the Hawktober movement, told HellaWella in an exclusive interview. “I met him online while researching tumors and survivorship, and he shared the idea with me. He didn’t have the time to focus on it and encouraged me to take the idea and run with it. Everything you see from the website to the Facebook page has all been done by me. It’s a global movement that’s being coordinated in Austin, Texas!”

Supporters of Hawktober, which began this year, are encouraged to “Rock da’ Hawk” in October to raise awareness and generate funds to be used throughout the brain tumor community, according to Cotcher. “Mohawks convey a specific attitude/spirit and are great attention-grabbers. Both aspects are key to our success and raising awareness,” Cotcher added.

The movement has been seeing some excellent support, according to Cotcher. However, this is just the beginning as far as he’s concerned. “While I’m encouraged and overwhelmed by the amount of support Hawktober has received, I recognize we’re just getting started! Certainly, Mohawks are attention-grabbers, and we plan to use that to our advantage as we work to promote our goals and awareness,” he said.

“Beyond fun pictures of supporters that Rock da’ Hawk, I’m always open to exploring partnerships with other related organizations. Awareness, whether it’s of brain tumors or breast cancer, is a responsibility that we all share, and Hawktober is always happy to help in the job,” Cotcher added. “In addition to promoting awareness and our patient support efforts, once we attain our 501(c)(3) status, we will target partners that research causes of brain tumors. I firmly believe that we need to direct our efforts toward finding causes in order to help find cures. With the variability (tumor type and location) of brain tumors, every ounce of support is needed and appreciated!

According to Cotcher, the next 10 months will be dedicated to planning, promotion and administrative tasks. Several brain tumor organizations have already contacted him, which Cotcher sees as an opportunity to cross-promote. “I also expect that you’ll see ‘Mo’ (our logo’s name) pop up in races/walks around the country to help raise awareness and promote Hawktober all year. Actually, the initial response has been so strong that I’m more worried about being spread too thin than I am about finding new opportunities,” he said.

“Having brain surgery isn’t like breaking a bone. You heal in much the same way, but having your brain ‘interrupted’ alters it permanently,” Cotcher added. “Most folks take for granted everything that the brain controls, so hearing about someone who has to relearn how to swallow is difficult to comprehend. Patients and those recently diagnosed are not alone, and there is a lot more than just survivorship.

“It took four years before I felt healthy enough to take on a challenge like this. It’s more difficult than I expected to be ‘public’ and talk about my illness, recovery, etc. I’m really humbled by the outpouring of support and believe it’s a referendum on how many people affected by brain tumors are looking for an organization to get out in front and lead the charge,” Cotcher concluded.

 

Sport a ’stache
During November each year since 2004, Movember encourages men to sprout moustaches. By donning your own “Mo,” you can help raise funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men, according to the campaign’s website, us.Movember.com.

On Nov. 1, guys can register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face, and then for the rest of the month, “these selfless and generous men, known as ‘Mo Bros,’ groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery,” the website states.

And ladies, you don’t have to feel left out. As Mo Sistas you can help your Mo Bros raise awareness and funds by finding people to sponsor their Mo-growing efforts.

“At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember,” according to the website.

This year’s movement also teamed up with men’s grooming brand The Art of Shaving, which will make an initial donation of $10,000 to Movember. The brand also will encourage its team members to join the movement and will match team donations made via The Art of Shaving’s Movember team at MoBro.co/TheArtOfShaving, up to an additional $25,000. The Art of Shaving also will offer a $10 “Keep It Neat” Movember hot towel shave throughout the month, from which all proceeds will be donated to Movember, the company said.

“Last year Movember became a truly global movement,” said Movember co-founder and CEO Adam Garone. “Through the power of the moustache, almost half a million Movember participants raised $174 million, making it the largest non-government funder of prostate cancer research in the world. Nearly 65,000 American Mo Bros raised $7.5 million.”

 

So however you want to express your individuality and whatever cause you choose to support, now is the time to go all out, start sporting your new look and warrant some attention!

Tags: awareness, brain tumors, cancer, cause, Hawktober, men's health, Mo Bros, mohawks, moustaches, Movember, Procter & Gamble, prostate cancer, Rock Da Hawk, The Art of Shaving

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