Eighty men stepped forward on Monday night to have their faces shaved for MOvember, a month of fundraising for, and education about, male cancers. This year, at least 10 of the participants went a step further and had their heads shaved into a mohawk.
The ‘MOhawks’ are a twist on the usual ‘MOustaches’ that men grow each November to raise money for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, as organisers figured that many of the impressive moustaches would end up being hidden behind COVID masks.
Dave O’Driscoll, of the MOvember Committee, explained, “This year, you might be growing a moustache but no one gets to see the glory, or the embarrassment – it depends on how well you grow it – so, we thought, … you can’t hide a mohawk.
“We wanted to see how many guys would shave their heads into a mohawk and keep it for the month of November.”
So, a ‘Mo-hawktion’ was also held on Monday night, at the annual shave-off outside Fidel Murphy’s on West Bay Road, in which bids were taken to encourage ‘MO Bros’ to step forward and go ‘full mohawk’.
Staff from The Barbershop at Studio 54 West were on hand with cut-throat razors, clippers, scissors and hot towels as the volunteers stepped forward to get their new looks. Months, and sometimes years, of beard and hair growth ended up on the floor as some very smooth new looks emerged.
After this, each participant has a month to work on growing their moustaches, seeking sponsorship and donations along the way.
“At the of the month, we get all the money together, and it stays on island with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society to help all the men on the island, who are not as fortunate as us, with outpatient care, chemotherapy, and, of course, screening – that’s very important,” O’Driscoll said. “Every man coming up to his late 40s should get his PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) testing for colon cancer, prostate, and all that.”
He added that MOvember is “about education, about raising money, and having fun doing it”.
MOvember events
Several events will be held throughout the month, in the run-up to the finale on 30 Nov. at The Bird, when the best moustaches and mohawks will be judged and prizes and accolades won.
18 Nov.: MOvember Info Night – Sponsored by Doctors Hospital, this educational event at the Lions Centre will offer presentations by medical professionals, Q&A sessions and free PSA screenings. O’Driscoll said this is probably the most important event of the month, and invites all to attend. It begins at 7pm. Call 946-8484 for more information.
19 Nov.: MO’pen Golf Tournament – With more than $3,000 in prizes up for grabs, this championship will be held at the North Sound Golf Club at Safehaven. This will be a four ball scramble format with a shotgun start and will include putting competitions, closest to the pin, longest drive and hole-in-one competitions. Entry is $200 per person (teams of 4), and includes two mulligans and a putting competition. Extra mulligans can be bought. Email Nelson Still at [email protected] to book team spots. 12 noon registration for a 12.30pm start.
20 Nov.: Must-Dash 5K – This run/walk begins at 5pm at Seven Mile Public Beach. Organisers on the MOvember website say, “The course has a bit of a… testosterone twist to it. To say more would be giving the game away; we simply recommend you walk, jog or run with a tracking device that can map out your route. All will be revealed at the end.” Spot prizes will be up for grabs and complimentary beverages will be available after hitting the finish line.
22 Nov.: MO Bro Balls of Fury – In a nod to the Bartender Royale competition, which has been running for a few months and is scheduled to have its finale at KARoo in Camana Bay on 8 Nov, MO Bros will have a chance to show their bartending skills in speed rounds.
30 Nov.: The Closing Ceremony – At the grand finale of MOvember at The Bird at Seven Mile Shops, MO Bros who have been working on their moustaches (and mohawks) all month, will be under the spotlight as judges decide who takes home the various titles, which include Classic MO, Costume MO, Barely MO, MO Sista and Group MO. The night begins at 7pm.
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