Every day is a bonus

Kevin Whipple was the Mo Grand Champion in the Wellington Home Hardware Movember mustache contest. He is also waging his own battle with prostate cancer.

Movember event raises more than $5,000

See you next year Whip,” said Ted Nash, as the Grand Prize winner of the Movember contest left Wellington Home Hardware on Friday.

For Kevin Whipple, casual exchanges like these carry more meaning these days. Just over a year ago, Whipple heard the words that no one is ever prepared to hear—you have cancer.

Whipple had no idea anything was wrong. He was getting ready for a procedure to fix a worn-out knee. His doctor ordered a list of tests in preparation, including a prostatespecific antigen (PSA) test—primarily because he hadn’t ever had one done before. The count was off the chart. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.

“It is quite a shock to the system,” said Whipple. “I had prostate cancer.”

Now Whipple is on a regular regimen of pills and needles. His PSA numbers are down and he is feeling better. He has even gained weight—but he knows that he is only a test away from possibly more bad news.

“We’re dealing with it,” said Whipple stoically. “Everyday is a bonus. Fantastic doctors, family and friends mean a lot.”

He has become an active fundraiser for cancer research in this community.

“It affects every family. You can’t avoid it. My wonderful wife has had couple bouts of skin cancer. A good friend has had cancer. We just lost our daughter-in-law’s mum to cancer just over a year ago.

“We’ve raised a lot of money in this community and it is paying off,” said Whipple. “We are getting better and more effective treatments all the time.”

In October, Whipple noticed a story about Movember in the Times—about how Evan Nash was staging a mustache-growing competition to support prostate cancer research and treatment, and men’s health in general.

He decided to enter.

Mo masters, left to right: Ted Nash; Movember champ Kevin Whipple; best fundraiser Ken Edick; best Mo Bro family team winners Bryan Monroe and Andy Lloyd; Brandon Minnie who earned the distinction for the worst Mo in 2012; and Evan Nash.

He didn’t even know there were prizes to be won until his mustache was voted—by a wide margin—as the best of 59 entrants. On Friday, Whipple and the other winners gathered at Nash’s store in Wellington to receive their prizes.

As the grand prize winner, Whipple took home a brand new meat smoker.

“It isn’t why I did it, but it’s a great bonus,” said Whipple. “Big, big thanks to the Nash family. They’ve done a super job in raising funds and awareness—particularly the young lad, Evan. He should get a lot of pats on the back— for a young man his age to take this on by himself is unbelievable.”

The Wellington Home Hardware Movember event raised more than $5,000 this year, more than double the amout raised last year. Across Canada more than 250,000 people participated in Movember, raising nearly $40 million—good enough for second best in the world.

“We had such an overwhelming response,” said Evan Nash. “You can always count on this community to come through with their generosity and support. It makes be proud to be from this great place.”