Moonbot Studios seeks to ‘change the face of men’s health’
This November an increase in facial hair is noticeable around Moonbot Studios for the worldwide annual Movember fundraising drive to benefit a variety of causes.
The “Mo” in Movember is short for moustache – participants (called “Mo Bros” according to the Movember website us.movember.com) begin the month clean shaven, and vow to grow their facial hair while gathering donations toward the cause. Women (or “Mo Sistas”) can participate by encouraging their “Mo Bros” and also raising funds. All the donations go to help fight prostate and testicular cancer and mental health challenges.
In its second year of joining in the Movember movement, Moonbot Studios has approximately 20 employees participating in the event. Their team motivation is “to change the face of men’s health.”
This year the significance of the event has a new meaning to the group.
“[Animator] Lucas Ridley had chemotherapy treatments this past year for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, so I think that makes this year probably even better and important for us to participate. He came through with flying colors,” Lampton Enochs, managing partner at Moonbot and a Mo Bro, said.
Ridley is a participant in the event as well, sporting a good amount of scruff.
“I’m in remission now,” Ridley said.
“I lost all my hair and have only had one haircut since it came back around July or so.”
Animator and Mo Bro Nick Maw-Naing said the group supported Ridley during the beginning of his treatment.
“As soon as [Ridley] knew he was going to lose his hair, we all did mohawks as a show of solidarity, so growing a moustache is a piece of cake,” Maw-Naing said.
“Hair has definitely been a theme for Moonbot this year,” Enochs said.
Most of the men at Moonbot spend the other 11 months of the year with their faces hair-free, so the Movember growth is an interesting change for them and for some their significant others.
“We actually got one guy to shave his beard for the first time in, like, 10 years because his wife didn’t like for him to have a moustache. So he got rid of all his facial hair and is starting over with us,” Maw-Naing said. “My wife doesn’t mind. I actually grow my beard out for a week because I’m lazy and so she doesn’t mind so much – but never a moustache. But she is supportive of what we’re doing.”
Enochs said he hasn’t had such a welcoming response.
“I’m getting a lot of comments from my daughters. Especially my 14-year-old who is not that pleased. She said, ‘Dad! You look horrible!’ But that’s OK. I agree with her. But it’s all for a good reason,” he said. “The first week a lot of people were looking at me, like, ‘Boy, has he has sort of let himself go to seed.’ And someone yesterday even asked me if I was in disguise,” Enochs said. “It’s pretty funny. I think especially for those of us who don’t do it – I’ve never had facial hair in my life – you get more of a response.”
Maw-Naing has had some similar experiences. “I definitely get a lot of weird looks in public for sure.”
Team Moonstache (as the Moonbot Movember team is called) is planning a special way to end their moustache growing experiences. “We had a shaving party last year,” Maw-Naing said. Enochs said he is on board for continuing the tradition.
“I think a shaving party will definitely be on board after this is over,” he said.
Ridley said he is eager to see who on the team will hold onto their facial hair at the end of the month.
Team Moonstache is encouraging others to donate to their Movember page. “We are going to raffle off original artwork by Moonbot artists featuring moustaches. Everybody who makes a $20 donation will get their name in the pot,” Enochs said.
The drawing will be Dec. 1. Donations can be made directly through their Movember team page moteam.co/moonstache. Enochs is hoping to reach their goal of $10,000 – though they have already surpassed what they received in donations last year.
– Mandy Byrd
