A man from the Philadelphia suburbs looking to make a difference has gone from clean-cut dad to mustache fundraising hero during the annual Movember campaign.
Michael “Mike” Kavanaugh of Newtown, Pennsylvania, is the top fundraiser — with two days to spare — in the campaign to raise awareness about men’s health.
“I was sitting there thinking about how I could make a difference — I thought about doing a 5K or doing a golf outing — but then it came to me, ‘Mikey use your industry knowledge along with your personal history and make a real difference when it comes to men’s health.”
Mike’s journey, and facial hair, started with the support of his employer. He works as a pharmaceutical sales director for Astra Zeneca in Plainsborough, New Jersey.
“I was asked by the lead in my office to join the Movember cause. I never had grown a mustache before in my life and never thought I could,” said Mike.
Mike’s story and hard work — spending many late nights working the phones and updating his online profiles — and great 'stache has raised more than $40,000 for the organization.
By raising awareness for men to go to the doctor and to address possible health concerns, Mike pays tribute to the women he lost.
Mike has grown out his handlebar mustache to pay homage to a trio of women in his life he lost to cancer. Mike lost his grandmother to cancer. Then his mom died from cancer in Nov. 2010. Shortly after, his wife Stephanie was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer that would eventually claim her life.
“My MOtivation. My grandmother, mother, and the love of my life... ALL taken from us by cancer,” writes Mike on his Movember fundraising page. “Why MOvember? Because this is where I can make a difference. Cancer has had a massive impact on my professional and personal life.”
The Nov.1 start date for Movember had extra meaning for Mike since it marked what would have been his 17th wedding anniversary after they met while he played lacrosse and she swam at Bucknell. Stephanie died in June 2013 and since then Mike searched for a way to honor her.
“Once you’ve worked in cancer and you’ve dealt with cancer you drop everything to help people who are dealing with cancer because it’s like being hit with a sledgehammer,” said Mike. “The people in Movember, they're so intense and their hatred for cancer is so sincere.”
Mike calls the support from near and far “spectacular.”
“What people are doing for me is giving me a reason to believe and telling the story about how cancer has impacted their lives,” said Mike.
The whole process has also been fun.
“I want people to laugh at me for having a blonde mustache — I had no idea… it’s coming in blonde and black,” laughs the jet-black-headed Mike.
A native of Long Island, New Yorker Kavanaugh said an icon of his beloved Jets inspired his look.
“I modeled myself after Joe Namath with the Fu ‘Mo’chu as I call it,” said a laughing Mike.
The son of a police officer, Mike said growing up he always had to be clean-cut.
So what do Mike’s kids, 10-year-old Dylan and 12-year-old Michaela, think of their dad’s new look?
“This has been a little on the wild side for me and the kids love it.”
The Movember movement began in 2003 with 30 Australian guys letting their facial hair — of all colors — grow for the month of November in a hope to raise awareness about men’s health, since then the movement has gained massive traction raising more than $559 million in the United States alone while involving more than 4 million men and women (yes women can participate as well).
About 300 of Mike’s co-workers also joined the "MOvement," raising more than $100,000.
The community spread far beyond his office. Mike said some of the best advice and support has actually come from those guys nearest to him on the Movember leader board but that doesn’t mean that being No. 1 — he leads by about $1,500 — come month’s end isn’t his goal.
“I want to make a run at being No. 1… to become No. 1 that would be huge for my kids and huge for the cause.”
Mike encourages anyone who wants to help stay atop the Movember mountain to go to his MoSpace page or friend him on Facebook.
Flames tore through a South Jersey car dealership early Saturday morning as firefighters worked to contain the 2-alarm blaze.
The fire broke out at the Nissan dealership at 1715 S. Delsea Drive, Vineland around 5:30 a.m., according to officials.
Heavy smoke could be seen billowing from the business as nearly a dozen emergency vehicles bordered the property.
Crews got the blaze under control at 6:55 a.m. -- nearly 90 minutes after firefighters forced their way into the show room, according to reports.
There are no reported injuries.
The longtime director of Penn State's marching band is leading his last performance at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.
Richard Bundy is only the fifth director in the Blue Band's 115-year history.
Bundy first took the field playing the trombone in 1966. He tells the Centre Daily Times that he expected to become a music teacher.
He has instead mentored thousands of students after more than 30 years leading the band.
Some top memories include the James Bond-themed program he created for the 1982 Sugar Bowl and a 2009 appearance at the Rose Bowl.
Penn State has its last home game Saturday against Michigan State.
Bundy expects to retire next spring. But he says he and his wife still expect to be watching the big show on Saturdays.
A woman was found dead inside a Trenton home Saturday afternoon.
The body was discovered inside a home on the 300 block of Union Street. Officials have not determined the woman's identity or a cause of death. However, they told NBC10 they don't believe her death is suspicious.
Officials continue to investigate.
This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
A Philadelphia woman who went missing Thanksgiving was found safe Saturday, according to investigators.
Olga Trewick, 66, was last seen Thursday around 4 p.m. at her home on the 6600 block of Guyer Avenue.
Trewick, who suffers from dementia and requires medication, was found safe early Saturday evening and is in good condition, according to police. She is currently being reunited with her family.
A priest led more than 200 people at a Philadelphia church in prayer Saturday morning before the group resumed their search for 21-year-old Shane Montgomery -- a West Chester University student who went missing while out with friends the night before Thanksgiving.
"We pray that all those who are about to undertake this search have clear eyes and listening ears," the priest said.
Montgomery was last seen Thanksgiving Eve around 1:45 a.m. as he was leaving Kildare's bar along Main Street in the city's Manayunk neighborhood. His parents told NBC10 he was asked to leave the pub after he bumped into the DJ's table. Sources also told NBC10 there was a fight outside the pub.
Several hundred people volunteered Friday -- the day after Shane's family spent Thanksgiving without their youngest son.
"My heart is broken," said Shane's mother, Karen Montgomery.
"We're waiting for him to walk in the door, but you realize that each hour goes... it's just harder and harder," added Shane's father, Kevin Montgomery.
The ongoing search efforts led the Manayunk Development Corporation to cancel a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and caroling activities. Instead the organization held a candlelight vigil at the Canal View Park, located at Main and Connaroe streets, to call for Shane's safe return. The vigil began at 5 p.m.
The West Chester University senior and Roman Catholic High School alum had spent the night of Thanksgiving Eve -- an evening many friends reunite while home for the holiday -- barhopping with a few friends, Karen said.
She filed a police report after the Roxborough native didn’t return home.
Philadelphia Police do not suspect foul play, although his disappearance is considered suspicious. Authorities have used K-9s, helicopters and marine units to search Manayunk and Roxborough, as well as the Schuylkill River, which borders Main Street.
Family and friends have been unable to reach Shane on his cell phone, which was picked up by a cell phone tower in Lower Merion Township Thursday morning at 2:38 a.m.
The search party, which ballooned Saturday morning, met for the second consecutive day at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Rector Street. Officials split the group into 12 teams, who then fanned out across the northwest Philadelphia neighborhood.
Shane, who weighs about 140 pounds and stands 5-foot-11-inches tall, was wearing a buttoned- down gray shirt, gray hoodie and jeans when he left the bar. He also has a unique Celtic cross tattoo on his shoulder.
A $10,000 reward was being offered for reliable information leading to Shane’s safe return. Montgomery asked that anyone who sees him call her at 215-920-2569. Anyone with information is also urged to contact Philadelphia Police Det. Valentino at 215-686-3353/54.
The church, which is serving as the search party's staging area, held a mass at 6 p.m. for volunteers.
"The church opens their doors," Kevin said while on the verge of tears. "People bringing food. It's overwhelming."
Marine crews plan on searching the Manayunk Canal around 10 a.m. Sunday.
A man and a woman were killed in a Chester County house fire overnight.
The fire began shortly after 1:30 a.m. Saturday at a one-story, ranch style home on the 2400 block of Harmonyville Road in Warwick Township.
When firefighters arrived the home was fully engulfed in flames. They were eventually able to bring the blaze under control.
Once inside, officials found a 64-year-old woman and 67-year-old man on the first floor of the home. They were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators have not yet revealed their identities.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials don’t believe it’s suspicious however.
A man is in the hospital after he was shot by a police officer in the Germantown section of the city Saturday night, according to investigators.
The man, who was allegedly armed with a gun, was on Reger and Portico Streets around 8:40 p.m. when a responding police officer opened fire, officials said.
The man was struck at least once in the neck. He was taken to the Einstein Medical Center where he is currently stable.
Police told NBC10 they recovered the man’s weapon at the scene. They continue to investigate the incident.
This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
