ICTS gets into Movember spirit

The moustache on top: Even the cupcakes got into the Movember spirit, before they were sold as part of ICTS's charity drive and awareness-raising campaign.

Moustaches were out in force the world over this 'Movember', and UCT's Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) bumped the cancer awareness drive up a notch.

The department raised R1,217 - tripling what it raised in 2010 - from selling cupcakes and fake moustaches and donations, all for the benefit of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). In addition to raising funds, ICTS staff also put up Movember posters, distributed free Movember merchandise and sent advocacy emails about prostate and testicular cancer, the two most widespread cancers among South African men.

The charity drive fits in with the ethos of social responsibility that ICTS tries to uphold, explains ICTS communications co-ordinator, Yacoob Manjoo. "An institution like UCT has a huge responsibility to help uplift the communities around us, so this campaign is just one way that ICTS contributes to the university's overall efforts," he says.

ICTS hopes to grow its cancer-awareness programme even more in 2013, with an educational talk by a CANSA volunteer planned in addition to fundraising and advocacy.