Everyone knows about Pink October: it is a communications campaign intended to raise women’s awareness of breast cancer. Blue November may be lesser known, but it is an equally important event, as it aims to alert men to prostate and testicular cancer. A campaign that is all the more worthwhile because these malignant tumors often go undetected.
Olivier Jérôme, president and founder of the association CerHom (Cer for the end of the word cancer and Hom for the beginning of the word human), has been fighting for more than ten years to encourage men to take responsibility for their health. “If we caricature a little, men are strong and manly and not sensitive. Women are used to taking care of the health of themselves and others. But not men,” explained the father, who contracted the disease in 2001.
Today, this committed activist continually insists: if you don’t look, you can’t find it. An attitude that prevents diseases – which are potentially fatal – from being detected while there is still time. The numbers are terrible. Prostate cancer, which generally affects men over 50, accounts for 60,000 new cases, 9,200 deaths per year in France (more than one case per hour!) and one in five men develop the disease in their lifetime. With testicular cancer, which is more common in men aged 18 to 35, there are about 2,800 new cases per year. Hence the importance of early detection.
“Why tighten your wallet? Feel it! »
For this Blue November 2025, CerHom will launch the second edition of “La Prize de la Bourse”, Wednesday 12 November, from 10 am to 7 pm, Place de la Bourse, in Paris. With, not without humor, this message: “Why tighten your purse strings? Feel it! » To remind you that “Stock Market and Life” are inseparable priorities. A general public event organized with the support of Movember and the city of Paris, to raise men’s awareness of testicular self-examination.
A giant prostate will be installed: this is a fun and educational installation to understand the importance of early detection, such as a PSA test (a dose taken from a blood test) and a rectal examination. A confidential room will be set up for doctors to answer questions. Also planned are distribution of “palpation kits,” demonstrations to learn how to detect anomalies and welfare activities.
All in a culture with an open stage, a mix of stand-up, talk show and street theater, to discuss men’s health without taboo. A poster campaign will be distributed from this Tuesday, November 11 at the Bourse metro station, with the following prevention message: “Metro BOules DOdo”.
In Emerainville (Seine-et-Marne), Blue November will not go unnoticed either, as there will also be a giant prostate installed in front of the town hall on Saturday 22 November. Not to mention throughout the month, an educational exhibition dedicated to male cancer is visible in the town hall reception hall, illuminated in blue and decorated with blue bows.
Why such a commitment in a town of 7,500 people located to the west of the department? “And why not? », replies Alain Kelyor, mayor (DVD) of the city. In fact, the idea has been floating around in this elected official’s head for several years, realizing that men may be less concerned about their health than women. “What woke me up was when I came across a photo of a giant prostate posted in front of a hospital in Brittany,” he admits.
CCAS (Communal Social Action Center) immediately mobilized to find the right partnership and brought in a giant prostate – a building 3.40 m high, 4.15 m wide and 5.30 m long – belonging to the French urological association. Enables people to know the mechanisms of disease in a fun way. “Physicians and associations will be present to answer questions,” announced Corinne Steiner, head of CCAS.
