Did you know that 1 in 8 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime? And that your risk is increased if you have a brother or father who has been diagnosed?

You may never know that men and their families are quietly battling this disease, even though the statistics are the same for women and breast cancer. So why does everything turn pink in October? Simply put: women are better at bringing attention to breast cancer, as well as fighting for others to care.

As a Chapter Director for ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer, I’m constantly faced with the reality that my husband, father, brother, and all men in my life, face the disease that people are not talking about enough. That is what makes my work so important to me – it helps me know that I am doing everything I can to help all men overcome prostate cancer.

Most people don’t know that a watershed moment for prostate cancer was inspired by breast cancer. In 1996, several groups of concerned patients, physicians, and advocates came together to create the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. This new organization was formed to stand up for men and families impacted by prostate cancer, and to become a political force for a cure. Twenty-one years later, ZERO is still in the game, educating men about their prostate cancer risk and the importance of early detection. We have a long way to go to catch up to the breast cancer movement, but we have a lot more fight in us yet.

One of ZERO’s recent fights involves ‘bearding up’ to raise awareness. ZERO jumped into the facial hair-growing craze four years ago by launching the Grow & Give campaign. It’s simple. Register (it’s free), stop shaving on November 1st, and take to social media to raise funds and awareness for the disease. It’s not just for men either; ladies are welcome to join! Most of us women have some creative skills and if we knew it could save a life, we could probably knit a cool beard or throw a fundraising party.

Here is Ambry’s page if you would like to join team ‘How I Met Your Moustache’.

Whether it’s growing out your beard, signing up for a 5K-charity run, or raising funds in lieu of gifts for your birthday, I urge you to do something. Make a statement and add your voice to the cause. Think about the men in your life and how badly you want to keep them healthy; it could be your words that end up saving their lives.