Tori Hitz’s husband, Skyler, loved mustaches. He loved them in any style and in any form, and few moments in life gave him more joy than his annual excuse to grow out the most beautiful mustache imaginable: Movember.

Each year, men across the United States and the world participate in Movember, a time when men grow their mustaches as a way to symbolize and raise awareness for men’s health issues such as suicide, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer. Movember, a cross between the words “moustache” and “November,” is also a foundation created to assist in men’s health projects. By embracing the Movember movement, men not only grow out their mustaches but also contribute to a global effort to support projects and research for improving men’s health.

For years, Movember had been a seeming highlight of Skyler Hitz’s life, a moment where the simple task of growing a mustache could provide an escape from the world around him. He even produced Movember Motivational videos to encourage others to share in this simple pleasure while supporting a cause he believed in.

“[Skyler] loved mustaches more than anyone I know,” Tori says. “He always joked that he wished he lived in the ’70s so he could have a mustache daily.”

Few would have expected in November of 2019 that that year’s Movember would be the last for Skyler. On Aug. 20, 2020, Skyler took his own life.

In the years since, Tori Hitz has continued the tradition of her late husband’s participation in Movember. She has combined Skyler’s love for mustaches with a motivation to raise awareness for men’s health issues, especially suicide.

The Movember Foundation

In 2003, friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery set out to bring back the fashion trend of the mustache. They got a group of men together who were willing to take the challenge of growing a mustache and decided to use this movement as a campaign for prostate cancer. They received support from 30 participants for their movement in 2003, but their enthusiasm toward growing a mustache was enough to continue the campaign annually.

After 10 years of the campaign, The Movember Foundation had blown up. The campaign was recognized in over 20 countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA. Additionally, 4 million Mo Bros and Mo Sisters—the name given to those participating in the movement—had joined the campaign. The Foundation had also raised over $550 million for men’s health research and projects.

Today, the Foundation continues to grow each year, gaining hundreds of thousands of Mo Bros and Mo Sisters as well as funding hundreds of men’s health projects that support the fight against suicide, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and other growing issues. The Movember Foundation remains a significant force in raising awareness and funding for men’s health, with its continued expansion reflecting the ongoing global commitment to addressing these issues.

Team Skyler

As she is unable to grow a mustache herself, Tori Hitz has taken on the role of “Mo Sister” for the past five years. Each year, Tori and her Movember team get to work to meet their fundraising goals. Team goals include growing mustaches, moving miles, or anything else that might show support for men’s health. Tori’s goal is to move 60 miles during Movember in honor of the 60 men who are lost to suicide each hour. Additionally, her team —made up of Skyler’s friends, family, and other supporters —grows its mustaches and raises thousands of dollars every year.

“Really, one of my biggest goals is spreading awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health,” Tori says. “I think it’s a nice way to remind someone that they aren’t alone in their struggles and they don’t need to hide, to remind people that it’s okay to get help.”

Tori sees Movember as the perfect opportunity to spread awareness about men’s health struggles. She sees it as a way to remember her husband and make a positive difference through a tragedy.

This story was originally published on The Weekly Talon on November 27, 2024.