Movember
Members provide hospital visitation services to local hospitals and nursing homes, bringing comfort, conversation and entertainment to those less well off.
It has to be said that there were a few mutterings of ‘What’s that?’ and uncomfortable coughs when it was suggested in the October meeting that the Lions Club would participate in “Movember”. For those not in the know, Movember takes place during November and requires men to grow a moustache for the month of November – no beards or goatees allowed! The rules are that you have to be clean shaven on November 1st so no one is allowed a head start either! The main objective of the month is to raise awareness and funds for men’s health programmes. The original concept focussed on testicular cancer but Movember has grown into a worldwide movement and has expanded its remit to focus on all aspects of men’s health – both mental and physical. Once the idea of Movember was explained, there were a few brave volunteers and soon most of the members of the Club, and a few non-Lions “volunteers”, decided to join in. At our November meeting (which takes place about a week into the month) there was plenty of teasing and comparison of growth of facial hair. But all in good spirits of course! Indeed over the course of the month it was admitted that wearing the moustache and explaining what Movember was about made it easier to have discussions about men’s health issues. So the mission was fulfilled. On the first of December all the ‘Mo Bros’ got their lovely moustaches shaved off in Skehans Bar on the night of our table quiz amid cheers and laughter. It has become an annual project with Lions Club members happy to raise awareness around men’s health.
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November 2014 Some of the 26 participants in the Thurles Lions Club Movember Project to highlight men’s health with specific emphasis on Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer and Mental Health.
Back I to r: Lion Martin Taylor, Lion Peter Cleary, Lion Pat McCoole, Lion Brendan Sheahan, Lion John McCormack, Lion John Byrne, Lion Pat Hayes, Lion Michael Bowe, Lion Gary Roche, Lion Chris Verling.
Front I to r: Lion Chris Coffey, Lion Ray Deery, Cllr. Seamus Hanafin, Lion Eamonn Medley (club president), Dr. Declan Lawless, Lion Pat Strapp, Lion Michael Ryan, Lion Ger Fogary Missing Participants: Lion Neil Butler, Lion Chris Delahunt, Lion Brian Fitzgibbon, Lion Paddy Hickey, Lion Conor Lyons, Lion Gerard O’Hara, Lion Frankie Shanahan, Lion Rev. Joe Tynan,
On the first of December all the ‘Mo Bros’ got their lovely moustaches shaved off in Skehans Bar on the night of our table quiz amid cheers and laughter.