AV俱乐部

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Pictured: Lucas MacFadyen and Jessie Blanchard at the Movember gala

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For the third year in a row, AV俱乐部 has placed among the top campus fundraisers for Movember, with a second-place win in the Big Moustache on Campus network for 2016. AV俱乐部鈥檚 team, led by Rowe School of Business commerce students, has a reputation for successful Movember fundraising, and this year, the 鈥淩owe Mo Bros and Sistas,鈥� raised a total of $29,330 for research into prostate cancer and other issues affecting men鈥檚 health and wellness.

Jessie Blanchard and Lucas MacFadyen are commerce students and co-captains of the Movember team. They explain that Movember has grown beyond its initial narrower focus on prostate cancer research: 鈥渋t鈥檚 a movement that centres on raising funds and awareness for all issues related to men鈥檚 health.鈥�

The captains list some of the activities that they and the team organized last month. These included the annual closing gala, a dodgeball tournament, club nights at Taboo and the Keith鈥檚 Brewery, and even an alumni event in Toronto at the Movember Canada House. Blanchard and MacFadyen note that Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, dean of the Faculty of Management, joined the team and helped with the fundraising efforts, while Marianne Hagen, alumni and student engagement officer in the Faculty, helped by organizing an alumni event in Halifax.

For MacFadyen and Blanchard, leading the Movember initiative is especially meaningful. 鈥淏oth of us have been affected by these issues in some way,鈥� they explain, 鈥渟o we each felt a connection to Movember鈥檚 message.鈥� The students both placed in the top three student fundraisers in Canada, with Blanchard earning the very top spot.

Other notable fundraisers on the Rowe team included top 鈥淢o Sista鈥� Ashley Sambrook and top 鈥淢o Bro鈥� Tate Drummond. They led the team of 82 students. MacFadyen and Blanchard believe that it鈥檚 the tone as well as the message of Movember that brings out students in such high numbers. 鈥淭he Movember campaign resonates with so many people because of its fun-spirited nature, and because of the underlying cause,鈥� they say. 鈥淲e can all agree that stopping men dying too young is a cause worth supporting.鈥�