With the goal of breaking the silence surrounding prostate cancer and encouraging men's health awareness, the Instituto Vencer o Câncer (Institute to Overcome Cancer) is launching the campaign "Blue November" this year.Press Conference, with support from Novartis Brazil and Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. With the motto "Talking is a game. Caring is winning."The campaign makes a direct invitation to men: to put their health on the agenda and overcome the taboos that still surround the topic, as well as highlighting the essential role of the support network and caregivers, such as partners and children, in this journey. 

The campaign's highlight is a series of highly visible activations at the Maracanã stadium, held before and during the match between Flamengo and Santos, valid for the 33rd round of the Brazilian Championship, on November 9th. The goal is to transform the stadium into a true awareness arena, reaching millions of fans across Brazil.

“Our mission with this campaign is to create space for conversations that save lives. The support of Flamengo and Novartis broadens the reach of this message, showing that care is also an act of attitude and responsibility. With 'Entrevista Coletiva' we want to encourage conversations about prostate cancer, both inside and outside the family environment,” emphasizes oncologist and co-founder of the Instituto Vencer o Câncer, Dr. Fernando Maluf.  

Stadium becomes stage for conversation about health.

Before the match, the audience at the Maracanã will be impacted by a series of visual and symbolic activations that reinforce the campaign's central message. The official video will be shown on the stadium's screens and during the live broadcast on Flamengo TV, accompanied by commentary from the presenters on the importance of awareness and care for men's health.

During the teams' warm-up, Flamengo players will enter the field wearing the blue ribbon, the international symbol of the prostate cancer awareness campaign. The visual communication will also be reinforced with the display of the campaign slogan — "Talking is the game. Caring is winning." — on the LED panels surrounding the field. The action aims to increase awareness of the message throughout the pre-game period. In addition, a banner with a message of prevention and awareness will be carried around the pitch by professionals involved in the campaign.

A symbol on the field: captain with personalized armband.

The most symbolic moment of the night will be the entrance of the captain of the professional team with a Exclusive campaign armband, championing the cause of men's health on behalf of millions of fans. 

"Seeking impactful ways to talk about the men's health "It's a fundamental step towards raising awareness and promoting self-care. Being present at a moment like this is a concrete way to promote care and generate interest in health," emphasizes Bianca Cormanich, Oncology Director at Novartis Brazil. 

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global pharmaceutical company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our pursuit of new medicines, we are consistently ranked among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 750 million people worldwide, and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. Approximately 105 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis worldwide. Learn more at www.novartis.com.

About the Overcoming Cancer Institute

The Instituto Vencer o Câncer (Cancer Victory Institute) is a Public Interest Civil Society Organization (OSCIP), founded by oncologists Dr. Antonio Carlos Buzaid and Dr. Fernando Cotait Maluf, operating on three pillars: providing excellent information and education for cancer prevention; implementing clinical research centers for the discovery of new drugs; and advocating for public policies to improve and expand access to cancer prevention, treatment, and cure. Learn more about the work of the Instituto Vencer o Câncer at [website address - please insert the actual website address here]. https://vencerocancer.org.br/ .

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