Virgen: Team Nuclear steps up for Movember

John Cornuke was excited for November to end. He knew the mustache he had been sporting for a month could be shaved.

Cornuke, an Estancia High alum (Class of 1981) who played baseball and football for the Eagles, said it felt liberating when the hair under his nose would be removed.

He also felt like a winner as the captain of a special team for “Movember” that raised $122,154 toward prostate cancer research. The Movember Foundation supports men’s health, including testicular cancer research and mental health awareness.

Team Nuclear, a play on the captain’s last name, is No. 3 in the nation according to Movember.com.

Cornuke and his team did their best to mix sports, activities and just plain ole fun to raise money throughout November.

Some of the highlights included a poker tournament, a golf event at Newport Beach Golf Course, a charity ride at GRIT Cycle in Costa Mesa and “celebrations” at the Wild Goose in Costa Mesa and “A” Restaurant in Newport Beach.

“We are so fortunate to live in this community,” Cornuke said. “It’s great how we all come together for a good cause.”

Cornuke completed his fifth year of Movember and has helped Team Cornuke raise $500,000 in those five years.

They sure have had a fun time doing it.

If you saw a double-decker bus driving down Irvine Blvd. toward 17th Street on Nov. 20 that was most likely those crazy, cool Team Nuclear guys. They were headed to the Wild Goose.

There are a lot of laughs, but they know it’s a serious time too.

Everyone seems to have a connection to cancer.

“I lost my father to colon cancer and had a good friend from college who died from a heart attack,” Cornuke said.

Each event seems to bring more of those connections in mind. They bring meaning to the cause.

It’s still there amid the fun, even with 1980s music blaring at GRIT Cycle for its Movember event for Team Nuclear.

The 80s Movember Ride along with four karma rides (for charity) raised $10,221 for Team Nuclear.

“It’s about time the men are getting some love after the women for breast cancer awareness,” said Marisa Wayne, a part owner of GRIT and the youngest daughter of John Wayne. “I love how they grow the mustaches. I’ve heard that one in seven men have some sort of prostate cancer. We’re all effected by it. We do what we can.”

Wayne and Cornuke both have children who attend the same elementary school. That’s how they connected for the 80s Movember Ride.

Kristen Hatfield was the event’s chairperson. Her husband Bobby Hatfield Jr. is a cancer survivor.

She said a sense of humor was one of the reasons her husband overcame cancer. There was plenty of humor with the 80s theme.

Cornuke could laugh and smile too.