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This November, Movember is asking men not to grow it alone. The 2026 campaign, Make a Growmitment, invites friends to take on a challenge together. Behind the fun sits a serious message about mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. All three are easier to deal with when problems are picked up early, yet many men put off mentioning a symptom or admitting they’re struggling. A Growmitment is a good reason to look after your own health, and your mates’.
Movember began in Australia in 2003, when a group of friends challenged each other to grow moustaches. It now funds men’s health projects in more than 20 countries.
This year’s campaign goes back to those roots. A Growmitment is a challenge you make with a friend: grow a moustache, walk or run 60km, host an event or fundraise your own way. Committing alongside someone makes it harder to quietly give up, and it gets people talking. As Movember puts it, a moustache is a conversation starter, and conversations save lives.
Prostate cancer often causes no symptoms at first. When symptoms appear, they usually involve changes in how you pee: going more often, a sudden urge, getting up in the night or a weak flow. Blood in your urine or erection problems can also be signs. An enlarged prostate, which is not cancer, is a more common cause, but these symptoms are still worth checking.
A PSA blood test measures a protein made by the prostate. A raised level can point to a problem but doesn’t confirm cancer, and a normal result doesn’t fully rule it out. The NHS doesn’t routinely test men without symptoms, and in 2026 the UK National Screening Committee recommended targeted screening only for some men with an inherited BRCA2 gene variant. If you’re thinking about a PSA test, talk it through with a GP, who can weigh up your personal risk and what the result could tell you.
Testicular cancer is most common in men aged 15 to 49. Get to know what’s normal for you and look out for a lump or swelling, a testicle getting bigger, an ache in the testicle or scrotum, or a heavy, firm scrotum. Most lumps are not cancer, but see a GP promptly about any change. Sudden, severe pain in a testicle needs urgent attention at A&E.
Stress, anxiety, low mood and depression can affect anyone, and they aren’t always easy to spot in yourself. Changes in sleep, motivation or drinking can be early signs. Talking helps, whether with a mate or a professional, and a GP can explain the support available. If a friend doesn’t seem himself, asking how he’s really doing can make it easier for him to open up.
If you’re in crisis, don’t wait for a routine appointment. Call 999 or go to A&E if your life is at risk. For urgent help that isn’t an emergency, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or call Samaritans free on 116 123.
Men put off seeing a doctor for all sorts of reasons: embarrassment, no time, not wanting to make a fuss, or assuming it will clear up on its own. Most new symptoms do turn out to be minor. When they aren’t, an earlier conversation usually means more options. And GPs discuss urinary problems, erections and mental health every day, so nothing you raise will surprise them.
Our men’s health services give you time with an experienced GP to discuss your concerns in confidence. The 30-minute Men’s Health Check includes a symptom review, urine test, blood pressure and cardiovascular assessment, and blood tests including PSA, testosterone, cholesterol and HbA1c. Shorter 15-minute checks cover PSA or testosterone alone. Prices vary by clinic: the 30-minute check is currently £280 to £335, and the shorter checks start from £130.
For a broader review, the Advanced Men’s Health Medical adds an ECG and a cardiovascular risk score. And if something is weighing on your mind, a GP consultation gives you time to talk it through and agree next steps, including a referral if you need one.
Movember lasts a month, but the commitment is worth keeping all year. Notice changes, talk about them and get them checked. And keep checking in on the men around you.
Explore our men’s health services and book a confidential consultation to discuss your concerns and take a proactive approach to your wellbeing.
