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Max Gilbert wears one of his fake mustaches that he makes to help raise money for prostate cancer research at his home in Halifax, November 27, 2014.PAUL DARROW

The Gift: Raising $15,000 and climbing

The Cause: The Movember Foundation

The Reason: To fund a variety of men's health programs

Max Gilbert was eight years old when he first learned about Movember and he wasn't pleased.

Max, now 12, wasn't happy that the month-long global fundraising effort was aimed at adult men, who grow mustaches during November to raise money for research into prostate cancer, testicular cancer and other health issues.

"I didn't think it was fair that women and children couldn't support the cause," Max said from his home in Halifax.

He decided to get involved anyway and he headed to a local craft store and bought sheets of sticky felt paper. Then he cut out hundreds of mustaches and started selling them to friends and family. The idea caught on and soon Max could barely keep up with the demand.

"I thought I'd be lucky to raise about $1,000 that first year," he said. Instead he raised roughly $5,000 and made it an annual event. Now, three years later, the total has climbed to $15,000 and it will likely top $17,000 once proceeds from this year's sales are finalized. All of the money goes to the Movember Foundation.

The project has become a family effort with Max's father, Kent; mother, Anne; and sister, Lauren, all involved. The family starts making the mustaches in August and keeps going until the end of November.

There's also a deep personal connection to the cause. Max has lost four relatives to prostate cancer (he is named after an uncle who died) and his grandfather is a prostate cancer survivor.

"I'm going to keep it going as long as I can," Max said when asked if he planned to keep the fake mustache sale going for next year's Movember. "I never quit."

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