“Ask me about my prostate,” cried Jonah Hill, a member of Phi Kappa Theta, at the fraternity-sponsored Bell Tower can shake to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer held Tuesday.
Although President Obama declared September Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, an international following has deemed November an unofficial men’s health month by supporting Movember, an effort to bring awareness to and raise money for prostate and testicular cancers. Phi Kappa Theta fraternities nationwide teamed up with Movember to grow mustaches and raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the LIVESTRONG Foundation.
This is the first year Phi Kappa Theta has held this fundraiser.
“It’s a good cause because one in six men gets prostate cancer,” Derek Spencer said, holding a can out to passersby at the Bell Tower around 1:30 p.m. Phi Kappa Theta’s can shake began at 11 a.m. and would last until 3 p.m.
Although students did not appear to be supportive – a group touring the campus threw their change up in the air and laughed as it fell to the ground – Spencer said that businesses on campus had been more than supportive.
“Richie’s Deli donated something like $70,” Spencer said.
The members of Phi Kappa Theta borrowed another method for garnering student support from the popular 2006 movie Accepted: the costume. Michael Skulsky, a sophomore in Business and Management, wore a Gumby costume and paraded across Berks Mall and up Liacouras Walk, seeking donations. Other Phi Kappa Theta members would take turns wearing the costume.
At the end of the day, $160 in change was raised for prostate cancer research. This does not include online donations from family and friends of the Phi Kappa Theta members.
As Movember focuses on the mustache as its symbol for men’s health, its version of the pink ribbon for breast cancer, members of Phi Kappa Theta who have been growing their own will be featured in an auction sometime at the end of the month where those who makes the biggest donation wins the chance to shave a mustache.
If you missed your chance to donate to the cause and would like to, you can email Michael Wells of Phi Kappa Theta. He can be reached at michael.wells@temple.edu.
Rosella Eleanor LaFevre can be reached at rosella.lafevre@temple.edu.
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