WITH suicide rates in regional Australia more than double those in cities, Movember is calling on Swan, Kalamunda, Mundaring and Bassendean residents to unite, grow and take action for men’s health in November.

From humble beginnings 22 years ago, Movember has grown into a global movement that has changed the face of men’s health.

In 2025, the charity is once again rallying Australians, including local Mo Bros and Sisters to unite, grow and take action for men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer - with a renewed focus on supporting men in regional and remote communities who are facing the greatest risk.

In Western Australia, the need to support these causes remains vital. Intentional self-harm (suicide) remains the highest underlying cause of death in males from 15-44 years old, with more than 170 men losing their lives to suicide in 2023.

Graphic designer Simon Yam from Ellenbrook has been involved with Movember for the past 15 years after personally suffering from the early signs of depression and anxiety and showing signs of stress and burnout.

“In 2018 I went through a personal mental health crisis and was feeling suicidal. It was one of the hardest times in my life, but also the most defining.

“That experience finally pushed me to reach out for help. That year’s Movember wasn’t just about awareness anymore. It became about being a voice for those who had lost theirs.

“Sometimes it’s about just asking one important question: “Hey mate, how are you going?”

Lauren Thomas from Bassendean has also decided to become a local ambassador for Movember this year.

“I am a 33-year-old geologist who has spent most of the last decade working fly-in-fly-out of some of the most isolated places in Australia. I am a lover of nature, travel, exploration and collecting stories,” Ms Thomas said.

“However, what I love most about FIFO is that the challenging conditions create a shared experience and this in turn builds a sense of community - a site family if you will. I’ve counselled numerous FIFO blokes through tough places, it’s funny how men are more likely to open up to the only woman in 100km than the blokes they work with everyday.

“I’ve lost mates to suicide and reckless behavior, and I’ve seen what it takes for the communities to recover. In 2019, my old uni mates formed the Movember team ‘Stache Bandicoot’ and I was determined to join, for me it was a chance to give back, to make a difference.”

Movember has sparked billions of conversations, raised in excess of $1.7 billion and funded more than 1300 men’s health projects across the world.

Its impact has been transformative — from groundbreaking biomedical research to building some of the world’s largest prostate cancer registries, and pioneering mental health programs that reach men where they are - in workplaces, sporting clubs, and rural towns across Australia.

And in 2023, the Movember Institute of Men’s Health was launched, backed by a $100 million global investment – uniting experts, communities and partners to accelerate research and translate it into real-world solutions.

Residents are encouraged to sign up, donate, or learn more at Movember.com or via the Movember app.