Mamdani announces a $4 million prostate cancer center in Brooklyn for Movember

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has joined the international Movember campaign with a makeover that is already the talk of the city: he shaved off his signature beard and now sports a mustache, to draw attention to men's health, especially prostate cancer.

The change became noticeable on Sunday, November 1, when the mayor appeared clean-shaven during a visit to a Brooklyn church and later along the city marathon route, where he handed out water and cheered on runners. In a video posted on Monday evening, November 2, Mamdani explained: "I'm sporting a mustache this Movember to raise awareness of men's health issues, including prostate cancer."

Behind the gesture is a concrete announcement: his administration will invest $4 million in a new prostate cancer center at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. The initiative, announced alongside City Council Member Rita Joseph, aims to strengthen the city's response to a disease that remains among the leading health concerns for American men.

The center puts the focus on disparities: according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health, between 2020 and 2024 the prostate cancer death rate among Black men was 36.2 per 100,000, far above other groups. Mamdani urged men to prioritize their health, with regular cancer screenings and attention to mental health.

Movember, held every November, invites men to grow a mustache to raise awareness of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. The organization has funded more than 1,300 men's health projects around the world. The mayor's mustache, according to his team, will disappear when November ends.

Photo: La Stampa USA

Source: La Stampa USA