Over the past decade, a growing network of organizations in the world, the nation, the state and the region have transformed the month of November into a hair-raising experience for a noble cause.

Specifically, groups like Man Up Mahoning Valley use the 11th month of the year to urge men of all ages, races and backgrounds to throw their ßçrazors to the increasingly chilly wind, grow some facial hair and join the public-spirited and health-conscious observance of Movember.

According to Man Up, the message of the month is simple: “Grow a Stache, Start a Conversation, Save a Life.”

Movember [mustache merged into November] is designed to change the face of men’s health by raising awareness of some of the most debilitating guy-focused health problems, specifically prostate cancer. That variety is the No. 1 cancer killer of men in the state and the nation.

This monthlong observance aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. The American Cancer Society predicts 35,250 American men will die of prostate cancer in 2024. Those numbers are predicted to skyrocket now through mid-century as Baby Boomers come of prime age for the disease.

Nonetheless, early detection and routine diagnoses can prevent prostate cancer from morphing into a killer. As any true-blue Man Up member will advise, never fear the physician’s probing finger.

Sadly, for many otherwise fearless men, such exams are like the plague. In fact, the ranks of scaredy cats have soared in recent years, according to a disturbing trend reported by the Ohio Department of Health. Over the past decade, the number of men receiving screenings has dropped significantly — from 45% in 2014 to 32% in 2022.

Reversing that trend illustrates the value of maximum awareness and of Movember activism. Man Up Mahoning Valley merits praise and support for its leadership in that effort. It’s no wonder it is being honored this weekend as Outstanding Volunteer Fundraising Group of the Year in the region by the Mahoning-Shenango chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Just as October draws necessary public attention toward the plight of breast cancer in women, November appropriately targets the No. 1 cancer killer of men.

Statistics offered by the state and Man Up Mahoning Valley, a program of the Mercy Health Foundation, illustrate the debilitating toll prostate cancer inflicts on men in the region. Consider:

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The incidence of prostate cancer in Greater Youngstown is high though in recent years has dropped below state and national averages in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

The Valley’s African-American males, like black Americans nationwide, are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than any other race.

Less than 50 percent of all men in the Valley had a digital rectal exam performed within the past year that could provide an early diagnosis and cure.

Such statistics demand support for the monthlong campaign. Men and women alike can choose a variety of ways to help.

First, they can take part in the hair-growing campaign that also includes fundraising and good-natured fun and competition among stache growers in families, factories and offices. The hoopla began last week with a kickoff at Eastwood Mall. It will conclude 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2 with a mass Shave-Off of November hair in the Target Concourse of the mall.

But if you cannot or prefer not to grow a mustache or beard, you can still get involved. You can recruit others or make a donation to the campaign at the MH Foundation in Boardman. Simply go to the Bon Secours Mercy Health Foundation website at givebsmh.org/cause/youngstown, click on the Man Up Mahoning Valley Prostate Cancer Fund tab and make your one-time or continuing donation. Your contribution will assist in funding screenings, awareness campaigns and direct assistance to prostate patients.

One of the best ways for men to actively support the awareness month, however, is simply to transform awareness into action. Call your doctor today to schedule a painless and speedy prostate exam. When detected early, such cancers are totally treatable and largely curable.

The life you save, after all, may be your own.