Most people think of the first month on the Gregorian calendar as January, but there are an increasing number of people who think of it as Manuary. This is a month during which men grow beards to spread awareness about head and neck cancers and to support those who may have these cancers.

This makes it much like Movember, a campaign where men grow mustaches to raise awareness about testicular, prostate, and other cancers that affect men. During this month, people sponsor men who grow beards and find other creative ways to raise money for cancer research and support. So everyone should put away their razors and grow a beard during this month.

The History Of Manuary

Manuary was a campaign that began in 2010, not only as a challenge to men to grow some wild and fantastic beards but also to raise money for the treatment and eventual cure of head and neck cancers.

It would eventually grow into a nationwide, and then international campaign to raise people’s awareness. The popularity of this holiday month is partly due to the Internet and the use of the hashtag #Manuary on social media.

Some Important Facts About Oral, Neck, And Head Cancers

Manuary is about raising awareness about cancers that affect the head and neck, so we decided to do some research and find out all we could about them. After a bit of research, and a whole lot of elbow grease, we uncovered the following facts. We hope that they prove useful to anyone wanting to observe this holiday.

• Every year, over 550,000 new cases of oral, head, and neck cancers are diagnosed around the world.
• Men are affected by these cancers about twice as often as women.
• In the U.S, approximately 10,000 new cases of oral, neck, and head cancers can be attributed to a strain of the human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Although Caucasians are more likely to develop head and neck cancer, African-Americans are more likely to die from it.

Observing Manuary

Obviously, the most straightforward way of observing this holiday month is by growing out a beard. Of course, we know many people may not want to grow a beard or are incapable of growing one. In those instances, they can always sponsor someone who is growing a beard for neck and head cancer research.

People can also donate money to these causes, or merely spread the word about this month and its importance. If we all do just a little bit, then we can raise much-needed research money that can be used to go toward a cure or towards helping those who are afflicted with these cancers.