Movember: Growing Community, One Mustache at a Time

Each November, people around the world grow mustaches in support of Movember — a global campaign raising awareness for men’s health issues, including prostate and testicular cancer, suicide prevention, and mental health.

For Assistant Professor Arjun Ramani of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences department — Movember represents community, compassion, and a shared commitment to health.

This year marks Ramani’s eighth year participating in Movember and his first leading the UH Hilo team, the “Mo’canoes” — a playful nod to Hawaiʻi Island’s volcanic roots. The group’s mission is to spark conversation and connection while raising funds and awareness for men’s health.

Ramani’s goal is to recruit at least five people to join the Moʻcanoes team in support of Movember

“It’s so much more than growing a mustache,” said Ramani, explaining how the campaign grew on him — figuratively and metaphorically — over the years because of his experience working with cancer patients.

Ramani’s passion for Movember began during his graduate studies at the University of Northern Colorado, where he worked at a cancer rehabilitation institute prescribing individualized exercise programs for patients undergoing treatment.

“We’d spend hours together every week providing a safe space for healing and conversation,” Ramani described.

Since joining the cause in 2017, Ramani has raised thousands of dollars in Colorado and South Carolina — helping to grow awareness across the campuses and communities where he’s worked.

Ramani rocking his Movember mustache

Now in Hilo, Ramani’s goal is to recruit at least five team members and raise $1,000 for this year’s campaign. He encourages anyone — students, faculty, staff, or community members — to participate, regardless of whether they can grow facial hair.

“So many people can’t grow a mustache,” he said with a laugh, noting that the group is about inclusion and action. “So we’ve added a physical challenge option, where you can set a goal like walking, running, or biking a certain number of miles. People can donate toward your goal and support men’s health that way.”

Having just joined UH Hilo in August, Ramani says he’s been deeply moved by the warmth of the island community. “It’s miles away from my experience growing up in New York, just outside of Queens. I feel blessed to be here and hope to call Hilo my forever home.”

Ramani and Kiwi show their support for Movember with matching mustaches

Join the Mo’canoes: To participate, set a fundraising or fitness goal by visiting the Mo’canoes Team Page on Movember.com. Whether you grow a mustache or meet a movement challenge, your efforts help spark life-saving conversations across Hawaiʻi Island and beyond.

“Each mustache or mile logged is a small act of solidarity,” Ramani said. “But together, they build something powerful — a reminder that caring for each other’s well-being is the foundation of a healthy community.”