Sweden-based company Elekta is donating $35,000 to support research on prostate and testicular cancer, thanks to the work of 150 of its employees, in a dozen different countries.
The company’s workers engaged in the Movember initiative (moustache [mo] + November), in which they dedicated the past month to raise both awareness and funding for cancers that affect men’s health.
The international, independent, and annual fundraising event invites men, the “Mo Bros”, to support the cause by growing a mustache, and women, the “Mo Sistas”, to help with the fund and awareness raising. The initiative is being held since 2003, and has already raised more than $500 million, which are then donated to fund research projects in the field.
“Elekta’s commitment to improving the lives of people with cancer goes far beyond just selling hardware or software,” Niklas Savander, president and CEO of Elekta, said in a press release. “I’m extremely proud of our colleagues who participated and especially those who donated to this cause. Their actions demonstrate that our dedication really is part of the Elekta culture.”
Elekta has been engaged in the Movember initiative for two years, and the fundraising has increased 60%, compared to the last years’ donations. The $35,000 raised will now be donated to support the Movember Foundation’s Global Action Plan (GAP), which is an international initiative focused on research partnerships that offers investigators worldwide the chance to develop joint programs, and has already helped more than 800 programs dedicated to men’s health.
“Organizations such as Elekta have a huge impact in their support for Movember, both in terms of the funds they raise and also the awareness that they spread regarding men’s health issues,” added Movember Country Manager for Scandinavia, Max Vere-Hodge. “Because it is a company that works directly with managing cancer, Elekta’s employees are natural spokespeople for men’s health. We are incredibly grateful and proud to have them as supporters in our fight to beat prostate and testicular cancer.”
Elekta is dedicated to providing innovative clinical solutions for the treatment of cancer and brain diseases, including in the fields of radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy. Its 4D prostate monitoring system has recently received clearance to automatically and instantaneously interrupt radiation beams upon prostate movement detection during radiation therapy.