Last week I was invited to attend an event at the Art of Shaving in D.C. where players from the Anaheim Ducks were getting their last shaves before the start of Movember.


NHL MVP Corey Perry, Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne post shave

Movember is a global movement to raise awareness about prostate cancer and other cancers affecting men. As part of the movement, men are encouraged to grow mustaches the entire month of November. Some people get really into it and offices have competitions to see who can grow the best facial hair and raise the most money in support of the cause.

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2011 there were an estimated 240,890 new cases of prostate cancer and 33,720 deaths.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in men. It most often occurs in men over the age of 65, and a person's risk increases if there's a family history.

Several players from teams across the NHL get involved in the Movember movement, growing mustaches and encouraging fans to donate to their fundraising campaigns.


Specially designed Movember helmet for Jonas Hiller

At the last shave event at the Art of Shaving, the players from the Ducks were excited to be getting involved. I had a fun time hanging out with some of the guys, listening to them talk about why Movember was an important cause for them and watching them get shaved....and in some cases shave each other.


George Parros pre-shave


Parros getting shaved by Perry


Mid-way through


And he looks totally different

I was really glad I took the time to attend the event. I feel like female cancers get a ton of attention and awareness because women are more open to talking about health issues. Male cancer awareness tends to fly more under the radar, but I think it's just as important to talk about those health issues too. Everyone has a dad, brother, male cousin or close friend who could probably benefit from the information. I was happy to see NHL players getting involved to help spread the word.

I'll wrap up with a shameless plug for my friend Jason. He's participating in Movember this year through an office competition. If you're interested, you can find his fundraising page here.

You can learn more about the Movember movement and how to get involved and check out my friend's story in the Washington Times about the Art of Shaving event. (Photos in the story courtesy of yours truly!)