Meet the Nutheads!

The Cause

We'd like to introduce you to Oneball's “Nuthead” Mascots! Through the use of this mascot, Oneball will be able to exponentially raise awareness of testicular cancer to at risk young men, and inform current patients of the information and programs Oneball has to offer. The mascot itself will have the versatility to be dressed in various costumes based on the events we would want it to appear (e.g., Superman costume for the Comic Expo, a colorful outfit for the gay pride parade, Cowboy outfit for Stampede, etc.) making it a fun way to make a splash on social/conventional media. Additionally, in the long term it would be possible offer advertising space on our mascot to raise additional funds for the organization.

Logistics aside, the big question is: why a mascot? Well, research has found that men are up to 50% more likely to die from cancer than women, in part due to their reluctance to discuss their health due to factors like pride or awkwardness. If you combine this with the fact that Testicular Cancer is the #1 cancer for men aged 15-35, you have a potentially deadly situation for young men. To address the barriers of pride and awkwardness, Oneball has opted for a different strategy than most cancer organizations by embracing a lighthearted and playful approach to a serious disease - an approach that was recently recognized by the Calgary Chamber of Volunteer Organizations by being selected as one of their Innovation Award Winners for 2016.

We believe that this fun lighthearted and playful approach, combined with this mascot uniquely positions us to make a tremendous impact in the lives of at risk youth, as well as patients and their families. It also gives everyone a great opportunity to share a few laughs at cancer's expense.

Who Will it Benefit?

Over the past 2 years, Oneball has been growing in two new exciting directions: the establishment and growth of our Student Chapters at U of C (2015) and MRU (2016), and the introduction of the Oneball Patient Financial Assistance Fund (2016). We believe that having our brand personified as a mascot will exponentially impact Oneball’s long term ability to engage the public so that our target demographic is better informed about the disease and will also raise awareness of Oneball's programs so that patients know that there is a helping hand available to them in their time of need. To put Oneball in the best position for success, it is vital that this mascot to be in place in prior to the start of the next academic school year. This is so that we can drive higher membership of our student chapters during the schools’ “Club Weeks”, and is an ideal time for us to build momentum through both social and traditional media.