Movember to present at the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit

Aug 27 2009

Staggering statistic: cancer kills more people every year than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Joining more than 250 advocates from around the world, Adam Garone, co-founder and CEO of Movember, the world's largest charity for men's health, will present at the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, Ireland, August 24 - 26.

Garone will participate in the landmark event of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, an effort of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), to raise awareness of Movember's commitment to bring attention to the global cancer epidemic before an audience of world media, political leaders, organizations and corporate leaders representing 60 countries.

"Movember is honored to not only be invited to attend the first LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit but also be asked to present on how digital strategies can be used to address the global cancer burden," said Movember Co-Founder and CEO Adam Garone. "Given Movember's global presence we are uniquely placed to lead the charge on cancers that affect men."

"Cancer is a major public health problem that affects every country in every region of the world regardless of economic and social situation," said Lance Armstrong, LAF founder and chairman, cancer survivor and champion cyclist. "Through collective action, we will make a renewed commitment to reducing the burden of cancer around the world and break down the stigma and silence too often associated with the disease."

In September 2008, Armstrong announced the Foundation's commitment to making cancer a global priority at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York. The LAF made this commitment after its worldwide research, conducted over 18 months, revealed widespread misconceptions, stigma and lack of awareness associated with cancer.

In response, the LAF established the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign to urgently address the burden of cancer worldwide and support the 28 million people living with cancer around the globe. It is estimated that cancer will be the leading cause of death worldwide by 2010.

With such statistics, the LAF recognized that a global challenge like cancer required a global movement. And so it began urging world leaders, leading cancer organizations and survivors to join together by making commitments to take action in their communities to reduce the burden of this disease.

Movember rallies men to grow moustaches for the month of November to raise funds and awareness for prostate and testicular cancers. In the United States, funds raised by Movember will benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation as well as the Prostate Cancer Foundation. To date, over $47 million has been raised to support men's health issues through official moustache-growing campaigns in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Spain.

Movember joins the LIVESTRONG movement with a commitment to grow the campaign in these countries while expanding the Movember movement by launching campaigns in South Africa, Finland, Netherlands, and France.

Last year, 173,436 registered Movember participants raised $24 million (USD). In 2009, Movember aims to have more than 260,000 participants across the globe raise $35 million, which will make Movember the single biggest global funder of prostate cancer research.

Speakers at the Summit include honorary summit chair and former Irish President Mary Robinson, Irish Cancer Chief Professor Tom Keane, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta as well as representatives from the World Health Organization and other global bodies.