Bondi resident Charlotte Connell has committed to wearing or drawing on a mo every day this month to raise awareness and money for men's health. We caught up with her to see how she's getting on..
BBC: Your dad is your mo-tivation for doing Movember, tell us a bit about that?
CC: My dad is my surfing buddy, my mentor and best friend. He has sported the most spectacular moustache for more than 45 years. But now, my Dad is undergoing chemotherapy he may lose that marvellous moustache and hopefully along with it the prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. Ever the optimist my dad, when faced with the news from the doctor, said “great, I’ll save money on haircuts”.
Inspired by my father’s strength, confidence and courage I’m wearing a moustache every day of Movember to raise money and more so, awareness of prostate cancer and men’s health.
I’m the first female, known as a Mosista, to attempt this in Australia. I figure if I can wear a moustache and suffer the ridicule, stares, and itchy upper lip, men can go get a health check and hopefully not have to lose their moustache too.
BBC: You're almost half way through 30 days of Movember, which mo has had the best response so far?
CC: I think the human handlebar mo went down quite well, but alarmingly it matched my own hair so well that it was a little too believable. My personal favourite, and I did manage to score a date wearing it, was the Tom Sellick/Rockstar Mo, it’s also the one that reminds me most of my dad.
BBC: You've been surfing for over 15 years, does wearing the mo improve your performance?
CC: Not sure about performance but it definitely helps getting waves. Also the reaction I get out there is awesome, everyone is really positive and congratulating me on my Mo style and for supporting the cause. On land people are sometimes a little nervous to say anything, like asking someone when are they due when they’re not even pregnant, I think sometimes they can be afraid to ask. Mostly I just smile and volunteer the ‘It’s for Movember’ line.
BBC: Which local bars are people likely to spot you wetting your whistle/mo?
CC: I practical live next door to the Crossing, I also like Bondi Hardware and can’t resist the prices or the view at North Bondi RSL but then always seem to end up at the Bucket List. I also have a lumberjack Mo picked out that I want to take for a whiskey or two at Shady Pines.
BBC: Have you been on any dates this month? How did that go?
CC: I’ve actually been on a couple. One went ok, a bit too much food ended up on the Mo and the other didn’t go so well, I think the Mo is a good litmus paper test for men. The guy politely informed me that the reason people were staring at me wasn’t because I had a bit of fur stuck to my lip, it was because I looked like a pretty tranny – nice! At least he said I was a pretty one.
BBC: What's next for a mo sista when December roles around?
CC: I imagine I will have a great Mo tan on my upper lip. I think I will really miss the Mo and the reason it gives me to chat to strangers about a good cause and smile at every person I walk past. I’ll have to come up with a new and creative way to support my family through this.
BBC: How can people donate?
Mo-ver and Out :[)
