FERNDALE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The “Movember” movement keeps growing every November. More and more men are ditching razors and shaving cream to grow a magnificent mustache or a bodacious beard to raise awareness for men’s health issues.
What better place to bring in “Movember” – or “No Shave November” --than a visit to a quintessential barber shop.
Barber Derek Favero at Detroit Barbers in Ferndalesays about half his customers participate.
“I have a lot of regular clients that are clean shaven and when November rolls around, they grow everything out,” said Favero.
Todd Buchanan of Grosse Pointe Park appreciates the effort more than ever before.
“The end of 2017, my back started hurting. I didn’t think too much of it. I’m a healthy guy. I work out a lot,” said Buchanan.
The health conscious husband and father of a little girl started going to a chiropractor for relief.
“But then all of a sudden I noticed a bump on the middle of my back near my spine,” he recalled.
His doctor recommended an MRI. Within weeks, he received the diagnosis.
It was a very rare cancer called Ewing sarcoma – which typically affects children or teenagers.
The 33-year-old got the news when his wife was 34 weeks pregnant with twins.
14 rounds of chemo and 35 days of radiation put him in the hospital 200 or so days over the last year-and-a-half. He made fighting the cancer his job.
Now he gets checked every 3 months to make sure the cancer doesn’t return.
How is he feeling now?
“All my energy’s back. I run. I go to the gym now. I play with my kids. Have fun,” he said with a smile.
His daughter is three. His twin boys are 18 months old. Life is good.
His message to men on this “Movember?”
“Just go get your checks. Go get your yearly physical and make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” said Buchanan.
And if growing a mustache or beard will spark conversation about men’s health, he’s all for it.
We wish Todd Buchanan continued good health.
And for everyone else, please take note. Movember.com states that on average around the world, men die about six years younger than women. And many of the health problems are largely preventable.
