Adam Garone, Movember CEO, has announced that Movember will invest in a new global collaborative testicular cancer project.

The Movember Board has approved expanding Movember’s Global Action Plan (GAP) to include testicular cancer, the most common cancer in males between the ages of 15 and 35. It is envisaged that the investment will be approximately AUD $2.5 million over two years.

The addition of testicular cancer complements Movember’s expansive men’s health programs in prostate cancer and mental health.

Head of Programs at Movember, Paul Villanti said, “Our vision is to have an everlasting impact on men’s health and it’s to this end that we established the Global Action Plan. We believe that getting the best researchers from around the world to work together on key challenges will accelerate breakthroughs that will ultimately benefit men. Further, we believe that team-based research, performed across borders with a strong collaborative mindset, can deliver innovation and knowledge sharing which leads to faster results that benefit men living with testicular and prostate cancer.”

Why invest in testicular cancer?

The incidence of testicular cancer peaks in men during their 20s and 30s with 95% of men surviving and living out a full (but not entirely healthy) life. This means that men who are diagnosed with the disease often live with the effects of the cancer and the treatment for 40 or more years. Whilst the current treatment of the disease is highly successful, we must do more to improve the quality of men’s lives. Imbalance of testosterone can result from therapy and can have effects such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, altered sexual function and a reduced quality of life. Because of the relative success in treating this disease, and the relatively fewer cases experienced compared to other cancers, testicular cancer is often the “forgotten cancer”. There is a critical need for someone to fill in the funding shortfalls experienced by testicular cancer researchers across the world. Movember, as a global men’s health charity, is uniquely positioned to at least start the process of bridging this gap.

Australian cricketer, testicular cancer survivor and Mo Bro, Matt Wade said, “I’ve been a dedicated Mo Bro for a number of years now, men’s health is a cause close to my heart. It’s great to see Movember getting behind testicular cancer to raise important awareness”.

Movember CEO Adam Garone explains, “Many of the Mo Bros that participate in Movember are in their 20s and 30s where testicular cancer is most common.  It’s a proud day to be able to announce such a significant commitment to an often forgotten cancer. Our approach to research will see testicular cancer researchers from across the globe come together for the first time to collaborate. The Mo Bros and Mo Sistas that join the movement each year make such progress possible. On behalf of every man and their families that have been through the testicular cancer journey – thank you”.

Following funds being raised as part of Movember 2013, we anticipate announcing details of the global collaborate testicular cancer program in early 2014.

Movember’s vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health. The expansion of the Global Action Plan to include testicular cancer is yet another progressive chapter in the Movember story.